The Kremlin on Wednesday flatly rejected U.S. President Donald Trump's explanation for his apparent U-turn on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, saying he seemed to have been influenced by the Ukrainian leader’s vision and that the situation on the ground was different.
After meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump said on Tuesday he believed Kyiv could win back all its Russian-occupied land and should act now, given what he described as Moscow's economic problems. Russia currently controls about a fifth of Ukraine's territory.
Kremlin Responds to Trump's Statements
Some Russian nationalists saw Trump’s apparent shift in stance as a signal that he was “washing his hands” of the Ukraine issue after failing to broker a quick peace deal, noting that he had not pledged any more U.S. help for Kyiv but had pushed the responsibility onto Ukraine and the European Union. The Kremlin, however, retorted that the Russian economy was stable despite some problems caused by Western sanctions, and that the slow but steady advance of Russian forces in Ukraine was part of a deliberate strategy, and that it was Kyiv, not Moscow, that was on the defensive.
Zelensky's Influence on Trump's Perspective
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: “As far as we understand it, President Trump’s statement was made after communicating with (Ukrainian President) Zelenskyy and was clearly influenced by the vision articulated by Zelenskyy. This vision is in stark contrast with our understanding of the way things are.” He added: “Ukraine is being encouraged in every possible way to continue hostilities, and the argument that Ukraine can win back something is, in our view, a fallacious argument… the dynamics on the front lines speak for themselves.”
Stalemate on the Front Lines
Though Russia continues to make slow advances in many areas, it has not achieved any major breakthroughs in Ukraine for some time. Nationalist Russian Senator Dmitry Rogozin said he believed the front lines were heading for a stalemate because a balance in equipment, training and morale had stalled the momentum of both sides.
Russia's Economic Situation
The Kremlin dismissed Trump's description of Russia as a “paper tiger.” Peskov said Russia was associated more with bears than tigers, and that paper bears did not exist. Peskov described Russia’s macroeconomic situation as stable, though data released by the Russian economy ministry on Wednesday showed this year’s GDP growth forecast had been lowered from 2.5% to less than that. The Russian finance ministry has proposed raising value added tax to fund military spending.
Lavrov to Meet Rubio
Peskov said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov would meet later on Wednesday with U.S. counterpart Rubio to give Washington “real information.” He added that Russia’s incremental advance in Ukraine was deliberate, saying: “We are moving very carefully to minimise losses, and thereby not destroy our offensive potential.”
Western Analysis of the Situation
Western military analysts have attributed the recent lack of any Russian breakthroughs to Ukraine’s canny defenses and the nature of drone warfare, which has exhausted both sides after more than three and a half years of conflict. Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said Trump had “slid into a parallel reality” and predicted his attitude would undergo another sharp shift. He said: “The main thing is that his attitude to every issue is liable to change 180 degrees.”
It's important to note that assessing the economic performance of a country engaged in conflict requires considering various factors beyond GDP growth, such as resilience to sanctions, diversification of economic activities, and social safety nets.
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