Russian President Vladimir Putin has responded sharply to U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent remarks describing Russia as a “paper tiger,” turning the criticism toward the NATO alliance.
Speaking at the Valdai Discussion Group in Sochi on Thursday, Putin dismissed Trump’s comments, which were made on social media following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the UN General Assembly.
Trump had claimed that Russia’s prolonged war in Ukraine was evidence of military weakness, stating that a “Real Military Power” should have won in less than a week. He argued that with European support, Ukraine could reclaim all its territory.
Putin, in his rebuttal, questioned whether Trump was being ironic and challenged the logic of the statement. “A paper tiger. What follows then? Go and deal with this paper tiger,” he said. “If we are fighting with the entire NATO bloc, and we are advancing confidently, then what is NATO itself?”
He asserted that Russian forces were making gains along the Ukrainian front and accused NATO of being deeply involved in the conflict by supplying intelligence, weapons, and training to Ukrainian forces.
The Russian leader concluded with a stern warning to Western nations, saying any attempt to challenge Russia militarily would be met with swift countermeasures. “Let them try,” he said, adding that provocations from Europe would not go unanswered.
The exchange underscores rising tensions between Moscow and Washington, with NATO’s role in the Ukraine conflict continuing to draw sharp rhetoric from the Kremlin.
