In a dramatic shift that stunned diplomats and analysts alike, President Donald Trump this week suggested Russia is "a paper tiger" and that Ukraine can win back all its territory—with time, patience, and European support.
Speaking at the United Nations summit in New York, Trump's remarks marked a sharp departure from his long-standing posture on the Russia-Ukraine war. For years, Trump had criticized Ukraine for prolonging the conflict and maintained a sympathetic tone toward Moscow. But on Tuesday, that narrative flipped.
"Everyone thought Russia would win this war in three days," Trump said in his UN address. "But it didn't work out that way. It was supposed to be just a quick little skirmish. It's not making Russia look good. It's making them look bad."
‘Maybe…Russia Is A Paper Tiger’
The comments were echoed and expanded in a post on Trump's Truth Social account later that day. "After getting to know and fully understand the Ukraine/Russia Military and Economic situation… I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form," Trump wrote.
"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,” he added. “This is not distinguishing Russia. In fact, it is very much making them look like ‘a paper tiger.'"
The shift didn't stop there. Sitting beside French President Emmanuel Macron during a press briefing, Trump reiterated his new stance. "It's been a terrible war. It should have ended and Russia should have stopped it," he said. "But they've been three and a half years and they've gotten not so far… Maybe it could be that Russia is a paper tiger."
‘What A Difference A Day Makes!’
The reversal caught many off guard—including Peter Doran, adjunct senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. "What a difference a day makes," Doran told FOX TV. "Go back 24 hours, and I don't think there were many world leaders who anticipated that President Trump would reverse his position in such a positive way."
Doran noted that Trump not only voiced support for Ukraine's military prospects but also praised President Volodymyr Zelensky and backed NATO's role in deterring Russian expansion. "He personally congratulated President Zelensky, saw him as a strong figure, and he's even declared his support for NATO to shoot down Russia's attempts to expand its conflict into NATO," Doran said. "It's enough to blow your hair back… We often talk about historic days at the UN. Well, this was one of them."
As of September 24, the war in Ukraine has entered its fourth year, with no clear resolution in sight. Trump's comments may signal a new phase in U.S. policy—one that could reshape diplomatic dynamics and military calculations across Europe.
Whether this shift holds or evolves further, one thing is clear: Trump's words have reignited the debate over Russia's strength, Ukraine's resilience, and the future of the conflict.
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