Donald Trump has ignited controversy with remarks made during the 80th UN General Assembly after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Posting on Truth Social, the U.S. president declared that Russia was "aimlessly" involved in the war in Ukraine. He also likened Moscow to a "paper tiger," and suggested Kyiv could potentially restore its borders of 1991 — including Crimea.
Trump’s Statements at the UN
Trump argued that, with European Union support, Ukraine not only had the chance to reclaim the lost territories but could “go even further.” He lamented that the conflict had dragged on for more than three years, saying it “does no honor” to Russia. He further promised that Washington would continue supplying weapons to NATO, which could in turn reach Ukraine.
“We will have an opportunity to discuss this later. It is still too early to answer such a question.”
At the same time, Trump acknowledged that the war was unlikely to end soon, noting that Russia still possessed immense military power. He also described his personal relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin as “meaningless,” adding that it had not helped resolve the conflict.
“I thought it would be the easiest thing because of my relationship with Putin… Unfortunately, that relationship means nothing.”
Kremlin’s Response
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed Trump’s “paper tiger” remark, insisting Russia is more often compared with a bear and that “there are no paper bears.” He suggested Trump had simply repeated Zelensky’s interpretation of events following their meeting.
“Mr. Trump heard the situation in Zelensky’s version, and that is clearly why he gave the assessment we heard.”
Peskov added that Putin and Trump had long been on familiar terms, spoke informally with one another, and could debate difficult issues while still defending their respective national interests.
Medvedev: Trump in “Alternative Reality”
Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council Dmitry Medvedev accused Trump of falling into an “alternative reality,” publishing “political incantations” about Russia’s weakness.
“In this reality, Kyiv is winning, Russia is torn to shreds, and Ukraine’s economy is thriving on its own resources. Obama and Biden have long lived happily in this reality.”
Political Analysts and Experts React
Political scientist Aleksei Chesnakov, head of the Center for Political Conjuncture, argued that Trump’s remarks signal a “new round of military confrontation,” since they removed any perceived limits on escalation during peace talks.
Analysts from the Vatfor project noted the inconsistency of Trump’s positions, suggesting his core stance was to avoid imposing sanctions on Russia or directly financing the war.
Political commentator Georgy Bovt concluded bluntly that Trump’s comments marked the end of any U.S.-Russia “friendship,” predicting that Moscow’s proposals on the START Treaty would now be rejected.
Military Correspondents’ Views
War correspondent Alexander Kots criticized Trump for being out of touch with reality, stressing that Ukraine would never regain its lost territories. He argued that for Russia the conflict was existential: “If we lose, Russia will cease to exist as a sovereign state.”
Another war reporter, Alexander Sladkov, dismissed Trump as a leader ignored by Europe, Ukraine, and even Russia itself, calling his rhetoric “offensive but empty nonsense.”
“Papa Trump is not listened to… Europe keeps buying Russian oil, Ukraine takes orders from London, not Washington. Russia pities Trump but doesn’t take him seriously. That is why he speaks nonsense — offensive, but empty.”
