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WASHINGTON — Perhaps Russia is a paper bear.
The Kremlin fired back at President Trump’s dig that Russia looks like a “paper tiger” by bizarrely insisting it is actually a “bear” that’s still a formidable military power despite its failure to conquer Ukraine.
“Russia is by no means a tiger. Russia is traditionally seen as a bear. There is no such thing as paper bears. Russia is a real bear,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told RBC Radio in an awkward response. “There is nothing paper about it.”
On Tuesday, Trump dramatically declared for the first time that he now believes Ukraine can fully repel Russian invaders to reclaim all of its land and “maybe even go further than that.”
The president lauded Ukraine’s fighting spirit and chided Russia’s failures to subdue its neighbor, who had long been considered a far weaker military force.
“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 swiped on Truth Social. “This is not distinguishing Russia. In fact, it is very much making them look like ‘a paper tiger.’”
“Putin and Russia are in BIG Economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act,” he went on. “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.”
