Kremlin to Trump: Russia Is a 'Real Bear'

The Kremlin pushed back Wednesday after President Trump made comments suggesting Russia is faltering in its war with Ukraine, with Moscow insisting it's no "paper tiger." Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, speaking on Russia's RBC Radio, reminded listeners of Russia's reputation, Politico reports. "Russia is traditionally seen as a bear. There is no such thing as paper bears. Russia is a real bear," he said. "There is nothing paper about it." Trump criticized Russia in a Truth Social post and in remarks to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.

• "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 wrote. "This is not distinguishing Russia. In fact, it is very much making them look like 'a paper tiger.'"

Trump also suggested Kyiv could reclaim all its lost territory, implying Russia's position is weakening. His comments marked a notable departure from his previous stances. The shift has sparked international speculation about whether Trump is now reassessing his approach to the Ukraine conflict, especially after months of holding back on tougher measures against Moscow. In his Truth Social post, Trump asserted that "Putin and Russia are in BIG Economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act."

Peskov dismissed the criticism and insisted that Russia's economy remains stable, despite what he described as "certain points of tension" tied to ongoing Western sanctions. He emphasized that Russia maintains "resilience and macroeconomic stability."

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Former Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev, whose taunts on social media led Trump to order two nuclear submarines to move to regions near Russia last month, also pushed back against the president's remarks. Medvedev said Trump had slipped "into an alternate reality" and predicted he would soon reverse his position, NBC News reports. "He'll be back," Medvedev said. "He always comes back."