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The Kremlin responded this Wednesday to the President of the United States, Donald Trump, who the day before labeled Russia a "paper tiger" in relation to the war in Ukraine.
The Russian Presidency assured that the country cannot be described with that metaphor and claimed that historically, it has always been associated with the figure of a bear.
“Russia is not in any case a tiger. Generally, Russia is associated with a bear. There are no paper bears, and Russia is a true bear,” stated Dmitri Peskov, spokesperson for President Vladimir Putin, in remarks to the RBC radio station.
Peskov's remarks came in response to Trump's post on his social media platform, Truth Social, where the U.S. president claimed that Moscow "has been fighting aimlessly in a war that a true military power should have won in less than a week for three and a half years."
Trump concluded that this performance leaves Russia as “a paper tiger”, weakened by sanctions and facing increasing economic problems.
The spokesman for the Kremlin rejected that assessment and stated that the Russian military operations in Ukraine follow a measured plan. “President Putin has explained numerous times that the Russian Army advances very carefully to minimize casualties. These are very calculated actions. It is better to extend them over time than to rush and increase the number of dead,” he pointed out.
Regarding Trump's statements about the possibility of Ukraine regaining its territory with the support of Europe and NATO, Peskov insisted that the reality on the battlefield contradicts that forecast.
"The dynamics of what is happening on the front clearly show everyone, even a low-qualified specialist, the true state of affairs. Our troops are advancing confidently across the entire front line, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine are suffering heavy losses," he stated.
He also warned that time is working against those who reject negotiations with Moscow. “For those who do not want to negotiate today, the situation will be much worse tomorrow and the day after,” the presidential spokesperson cautioned, hinting that Russia is not considering an immediate ceasefire or concessions.
Peskov's statements reflect the Kremlin's discomfort following Trump's shift in stance, as he surprised many this week by explicitly supporting Ukrainian President, Volodimir Zelenski, during the UN General Assembly in New York.
The U.S. president assured on Tuesday that Ukraine has a "great spirit" and that, with patience and financial support from Europe, it can recover its original borders and even go "beyond".
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