President Donald Trump has branded Russia a “paper tiger” and declared that Ukraine was doing such a good job on the battlefield it could defeat Moscow with the help of the West.
In a stunning reversal of his push for Ukraine to make concessions in order to end the war that Russian President Vladimir Putin started, the U.S. president now says that Ukraine “is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form.”
“Russia has been fighting aimlessly for three and a half years, a War that should have taken a Real Military Power less than a week to win,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social Post after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday.
“This is not distinguishing Russia. In fact, it is very much making them look like “a paper tiger,” he said — an unflattering reference to something that purports to be strong but is actually ineffectual and unable to withstand challenge.
“Putin and Russia are in BIG Economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act,” Trump continued, noting that economic sanctions were hurting Moscow and putting Ukrainians in a position to “take back their Country in its original form and, who knows, maybe even go further than that!”
“In any event, I wish both Countries well. We will continue to supply weapons to NATO for NATO to do what they want with them. Good luck to all!”
The surprising post was viewed by some observers as a sign that Trump may be moving on from the conflict after failing to deliver a peace deal.
It came moments after Trump spoke to Zelensky on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where he acknowledged to reporters that the war was “not going to end for a long time.”
The comment was a tacit admission that attempts to broker a ceasefire between the two countries had barely moved the needle, even after Trump rolled out the red carpet for Putin in Alaska last month.
Asked if he could still trust Putin, he told reporters: “I’ll let you know in about a month, OK?”
The issue is a sensitive one for the President, who has long thought his relationship with the Russian dictator would give him leverage to fulfill his campaign promise to end the war on “Day One.”
But since the Alaska summit, reality has intervened, with Putin refusing to negotiate in good faith, continuing to bomb Ukraine territory, and even entering the airspace of NATO nations such as Poland and Estonia.
The latest suspected Russian incursion took place in Denmark, where mysterious drones forced the closure of Copenhagen airport on Monday night.
“I cannot rule out that it is Russia,” Mette Frederiksen, the Danish leader, told reporters.
Asked if he believed the NATO members countries should shoot down Russian drones that violate their airspace, Trump replied: “Yes I do.”
But he stopped short of saying the U.S. would join the effort, simply saying it “depends on the circumstance.”
Earlier in New York, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was also pressed about Trump’s inability to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office.
Appearing on the Today show to talk up Trump’s UN speech, anchor Craig Melvin told Rubio that, nearly 250 days into Trump’s second term, his promise remains unfulfilled.
“Yeah, but that’s not up to us to end the war,” Rubio fired back. “The Russians have to stop the war, and the Ukrainians have to agree to a peace deal.”
Melvin pressed further: “Yeah but repeatedly on the campaign trail, he said he would end it on day one; we’re 246 days into the administration.”
“Which is an indication that he repeatedly said that he would make it a priority,” Rubio replied.
“He certainly has done more than Biden ever did to end the war.”
