Russia dismissed comments from US President Donald Trump, who described Moscow as a “paper tiger” and urged Ukraine to take advantage of Russia’s supposed economic weakness to reclaim occupied territory.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov responded on Wednesday, attributing Trump’s remarks to his recent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

“Of course, President Trump heard Zelenskiy’s version of events. And apparently at this point, this version is the reason for the assessment we heard,” Peskov told RBC radio.

Peskov dismissed the “paper tiger” comparison outright: “Russia is a bear, not a tiger. And there is no such thing as a paper bear.”

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Dmitry Peskov defends Russian military strategy

Addressing the situation on the battlefield, Peskov said the Russian army is advancing deliberately and cautiously in Ukraine.

“These are very deliberate actions,” he said. “We are moving forward very carefully to minimise losses and to preserve offensive potential.”

He added that those unwilling to negotiate with Moscow now would face tougher conditions in the future: “The dynamics show that for those unwilling to negotiate now, the position will be much worse tomorrow and the day after.”

Peskov also stated that the situation for Ukraine is much worse now than in the Spring of 2022.

"Apparently, they are trying to demonstrate to both their sponsors in Europe and their handlers that they can fight," the Kremlin spokesperson added.

Western analysts, however, attribute the lack of a Russian breakthrough to Ukraine’s strong defense and the attrition of both armies after more than three and a half years of war.

Read more: In major shift, Trump says Kiev can win back 'all of Ukraine'

Kremlin insists Russian economy remains stable

Turning to the economy, Peskov rejected the idea that Russia is collapsing under sanctions. “Russia maintains its resilience. Russia maintains macroeconomic stability,” he said.

He acknowledged that sanctions and global market turbulence have created “tensions and problem areas,” but insisted that the Russian economy remains intact despite Western restrictions.

On Tuesday, Trump had surprised observers with a sharp rhetorical shift, writing on Truth Social: “Putin and Russia are in BIG Economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act.”

The US president suggested Kiev could regain all of its occupied land, despite Russia still controlling about one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory.

Peskov reiterated that Moscow views negotiations as the only way to resolve the conflict. He suggested Ukraine’s hesitation could worsen its future bargaining position, stressing Russia’s cautious but continued military progress.