Overview

• After meeting Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the UN, President Trump said Ukraine could reclaim all occupied territory and described Russia as a "paper tiger."
• A White House official confirmed the rhetoric was a deliberate move to pressure Moscow, informed by new intelligence on Russian setbacks.
• Analyses cited by officials, including ISW and IEA data, point to minimal Russian gains at high cost and declining oil export revenues.
• Zelenskyy welcomed the shift as a positive signal, while Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov rejected it and portrayed Russia as a "real bear."
• Formal U.S. policy has not changed, with arms sales continuing under usage limits, as Vice-President JD Vance says Trump is growing impatient with Russia's refusal to negotiate.