Regarding Trump's statement that "Ukraine can reclaim all occupied territories," Kremlin spokesperson Peskov made multiple responses on the 24th: first, attributing the remarks to Trump's meeting with Zelenskyy during the UN General Assembly, stating that he only heard Ukraine's version; second, refuting the "paper tiger" evaluation, emphasizing that Russia is more like a "non-papier-mâché bear," defending its own stability and macroeconomic stability. Although facing economic challenges such as sanctions, the economy has adapted to the needs of the special military operation, covering all frontline requirements, and the budget draft for the next three years is completely balanced.
Peskov also stated that the dialogue channels between Russia and the United States on the Ukraine situation are open, but progress in eliminating "stimulating factors" in relations is slow, with effects approaching zero. He said that Russian forces are steadily advancing on the front lines in Ukraine, causing heavy losses to the Ukrainian army, and that Russian operations aim to ensure Russia's current and future well-being. At the same time, he warned Ukraine that if it does not want to negotiate now, its future situation and leverage will greatly deteriorate. Regarding Putin's meeting with Zelenskyy, he pointed out that Putin is willing to meet, but the locations proposed by Kyiv, such as Switzerland and Austria, are unacceptable, and Zelenskyy's refusal to visit Moscow is confusing. On European security issues, he emphasized that Russia is an inseparable part of European security and cannot be handled at the expense of Russian security.
Comment: Peskov's response to Trump's comments on Ukraine is a set of narratives that "soften the US, harden against Ukraine, and anchor security": attributing Trump's statement to "hearing Zelenskyy's version," which weakens direct confrontation, leaves space for Russian-US dialogue, and subtly criticizes the statement as one-sided; using the analogy of "a bear rather than a paper tiger," combined with expressions such as "the economy adapting to military needs" and "budget balance," directly refutes the Western narrative of "Russia's weakened strength," reinforcing internal and international perceptions of Russia's resilience. In the Ukraine issue, on one hand, it portrays the battlefield advantage of "Russian forces steadily advancing and heavy losses to the Ukrainian army," while on the other hand, it pressures Ukraine with "if you don't talk now, things will get worse later." At the same time, it sets conditions for the meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy and shifts responsibility, blaming the deadlock on Ukraine. Finally, it emphasizes "Russia is an inseparable part of European security," deeply linking the military action in Ukraine with its own security demands. The essence is to win the definition rights over the Ukraine crisis through layered narratives, stabilizing the bottom line of relations with the US, and exerting pressure on both Ukraine and Europe.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1844182320122951/
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