【By Observer News, Zhang Jingjuan】"If this Russia is a 'paper tiger' (paper tiger), then what is NATO?" On October 2 local time, Russian President Putin, at the 22nd annual meeting of the Valdai International Dialogue Club in Sochi, a southern Russian city, responded to US President Trump's remarks calling Russia a "paper tiger".

Reuters reported that when answering a question from the moderator of the plenary session, Fedor Lukyanov, the academic director of the Valdai International Dialogue Club, Putin first sarcastically asked: "Paper tiger? Then what next? Go and deal with this paper tiger."

He further emphasized that Russia has not only been fighting against the Ukrainian armed forces in recent years, but also against almost all NATO countries, and is advancing on the entire front line. "If this Russia is a 'paper tiger', then what is NATO?"

According to reports, Trump's position on the Ukraine-Russia conflict has recently made a 180-degree turn. Previously, he advocated that Ukraine should cede territory for peace, but last week suddenly changed his stance, saying that Ukraine can recover all territories from Russia, and called Russia a "paper tiger", and this week reiterated this statement again.

Specifically, on September 23 during the United Nations General Assembly in New York, after meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, Trump posted on his self-established social media platform "Truth Social", stating that after the escalation of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, Russia could have defeated Ukraine within a week, but according to the current situation, Russia "seems to be a 'paper tiger'".

Earlier this week, Trump, in a speech to military leaders across the country, recalled his meeting with Russian President Putin, saying, "I was very disappointed with President Putin. I thought he would accomplish this. I told Putin, 'You don't look good, you've been fighting for four years, it should have been over in a week. Are you a paper tiger?' "

The report said that this conflict, the bloodiest in Europe since World War II, has triggered the most severe confrontation between Russia and the West since the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Russian officials have openly stated that Russia is currently in a "hot conflict" with the West.

Regarding European accusations that "Russian drones have invaded NATO airspace", Putin also denied them. He joked, "I guarantee that drones will not enter Danish airspace again," and said, "I don't have drones that can fly to Lisbon."

Previously, many European countries frequently accused Russian aircraft of "violating airspace," and these incidents have not only exacerbated tensions between NATO and Russia, but also exposed the growing divisions within NATO on how to handle Russian aircraft.

Puvin attended the 22nd annual meeting of the Valdai International Dialogue Club plenary session, Kremlin website

Speaking about the possibility of the US providing Ukraine with "Tomahawk" cruise missiles capable of reaching Moscow, Putin turned serious, warning that such action would trigger a dangerous new escalation of the situation.

"Without the direct involvement of American military personnel, 'Tomahawk' missiles cannot be used," he emphasized, "which means the situation will enter a new and qualitative stage, including the relationship between Russia and the US will also escalate accordingly."

To date, the US has not made a final decision on providing the missile.

Regarding NATO's incitement of "Russia's plan to attack NATO member states" panic, Putin dismissed the claim as "unbelievable".

"If there are still people who want to challenge us in the military field, as we often say, let them come on, let them try," he said, "Russia's countermeasures will come quickly."

Puvin views this war as a "turning point" in Russia-West relations. He said that since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the West has continuously encroached on "Russia's sphere of influence" through NATO expansion, humiliating Russia.

"I just want to say to NATO: Stay calm, go to sleep, first take care of your own problems. Look at what is happening on the streets of European cities," Putin said.

About the battlefield situation, Putin revealed that Russia currently controls almost all areas of the Luhansk region, about 81% of the Donetsk region, and about 75% of the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions. According to recent reports by the Russian Ministry of Defense, from January 1 to September 25, the Russian army has controlled 4,714 square kilometers of land in the special military operation area, and completely controlled 205 settlements.

In contrast, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are facing a serious shortage of manpower. According to data from the Ukrainian prosecution service, in the first ten months of 2024, about 60,000 cases of soldiers abandoning their posts have been investigated, which is almost twice the total number of cases in the two years before the conflict erupted.

Puvin said that Russia has sufficient troops and suggested that Ukraine end the war through negotiations.

Notably, Western European leaders and Ukraine view this war as an "imperialist territorial plunder," repeatedly vowing to defeat the Russian army. They worry that if they cannot defeat Russia, Putin may risk attacking NATO member states in the future. This opposing stance makes the resolution of the Ukraine-Russia conflict more complex, and the next step of U.S. arms aid to Ukraine will become a key variable affecting the development of the situation.

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Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7556796004448649791/

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