Moscow,Russia | September 24, 2025
Russia Scoffs at Trump’s Change of Heart, Rejects “Paper Tiger” Insult
Russian officials have swiftly and scornfully rejected US President Donald Trump’s new stance that Ukraine can “fight and WIN all of Ukraine back,” calling his abrupt rhetorical shift a “U-turn” and a “mistaken” assessment influenced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In a series of statements and social media posts, top Kremlin figures dismissed Trump’s claims that Russia’s military is a “paper tiger” and its economy is in “BIG trouble,” doubling down on their commitment to continue the war.
Headline Points
* Russian officials, including Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov and former president Dmitry Medvedev, have criticized President Trump’s change of position on the Ukraine war.
* Peskov stated that Trump’s comments were likely made “under the influence” of Zelenskyy and did not align with “our understanding of the current state of affairs.”
* Medvedev mocked Trump, suggesting he had “slipped into an alternative reality” and predicting that he would “return” to his previous, more accommodating stance.
* The Russian officials also rejected Trump’s characterization of the Russian military as a “paper tiger,” with Peskov asserting that “there are no paper bears.”
* The pushback from Moscow underscores the deep friction between the two nations and makes it clear that Russia will not be swayed from its war aims by a change in US rhetoric.
A “Mistaken” View
During a briefing with reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov addressed the US President’s dramatic shift in tone. Peskov stated that Trump’s declaration that Ukraine could reclaim all its territory was a “mistaken argument” and that “the dynamics on the front lines speak for themselves.” He added that Trump’s statements seemed to be made after his meeting with Zelenskyy at the UN General Assembly and were “apparently, under the influence of a vision set out by Zelenskyy.”
Peskov also pushed back on Trump’s claim that Russia’s military has been “fighting aimlessly” for three and a half years, asserting that Moscow is fighting to “ensure our security and our interests.” This direct challenge to Trump’s rationale shows that the Kremlin is not taking his new position lightly and is unwilling to concede any ground, either rhetorically or militarily.
Medvedev Mocks Trump
Perhaps the sharpest reaction came from former Russian president and current Deputy Chairman of the Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev. On his social media platform, Medvedev mocked Trump’s new position, stating that he had “ended up in an alternate reality.” Medvedev’s remarks, which have been widely reported, are a thinly veiled jab at Trump’s often-changing views on the conflict. “I have no doubt—he will come back. He always comes back,” Medvedev wrote, predicting that Trump would eventually revert to his previous position of urging territorial concessions from Ukraine.
The backlash from Moscow is not merely a diplomatic spat; it reveals a fundamental conflict between the two nations’ approaches to the war. While Trump’s new stance is seen as a major victory in Kyiv, it is viewed as a misguided attempt at a publicity stunt in Moscow. The Kremlin’s firm and unified response makes it clear that a mere change in rhetoric will not alter Russia’s strategic objectives in Ukraine.
