Kathrine Frich
Former CIA Moscow station chief Daniel Hoffman argued that Vladimir Putin is “feeling the pain”
Former CIA Moscow station chief Daniel Hoffman argued that Vladimir Putin is “feeling the pain” .
Trump’s U-turn jolts the Kremlin
After meeting Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, President Trump abruptly shifted tone on the war.
He wrote that Ukraine can win back all occupied land “with the support of the European Union,” setting off fresh tremors in Moscow and among European capitals.
The move is a sharp break from earlier suggestions that Kyiv should concede territory for peace.
“No alternative”: Moscow’s immediate response
Within hours, the Kremlin signaled defiance, insisting it has “no alternative” but to keep fighting “to ensure our interests and achieve the goals.”
Safe to say it seems Russia’s long-stated objectives are unchanged, even as the battlefield remains costly and grinding.
Ex-CIA Moscow chief: Putin is “feeling the pain”
Former CIA Moscow station chief Daniel Hoffman argued that Vladimir Putin is “feeling the pain” as he fails to “achieve his strategic objective.”
He said the Kremlin is now “begging” for help from an “axis of tyranny” — China, North Korea and Iran — to blunt Ukraine’s momentum and offset mounting strain.
Trump’s post spells out a maximalist end state
Trump’s post went further than before:
“I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form.”
He added, “With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO, the original Borders from where this War started, is very much an option.”
For Kyiv, that language is a diplomatic win; for Moscow, it raises the stakes.
Zelensky seeks clarity on security guarantees
Ukraine’s president welcomed the shift but pressed for specifics.
“These matters will be discussed in our bilateral meeting in New York,” Zelensky said.
“I want to gauge how close we are to understanding that security guarantees will meet our needs.”
Kyiv’s focus remains long-term backing, air defense, and limits on Russia’s ability to rearm.
NORAD’s busy month adds to the tension
As rhetoric sharpened, NORAD reported another intercept near Alaska, reflecting a pattern of Russian military flights probing the Air Defense Identification Zone.
While these sorties are labeled routine, their frequency this year has increased unease across the alliance and kept air forces on alert from the Arctic to the Baltic.
Suspected Russian drone activity widens
Air traffic disruptions in Copenhagen and Oslo earlier in the week added a separate layer of anxiety. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said,
“I cannot rule out that it is Russia,” noting “we have seen drones over Poland… activity in Romania… violations of Estonian airspace.”
The pattern fuels concern that Moscow is testing responses along NATO’s perimeter.
Moscow escalates strikes inside Ukraine
On the ground, Russia has intensified bombardment of Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
The tempo of attacks undercuts any near-term prospects for negotiations and aligns with the Kremlin’s claim that continuing the war is necessary to “achieve the goals,” despite high costs and limited territorial change.
Trump’s harsher assessment of Russia’s military
Trump also blasted Russia’s battlefield performance:
“Russia has been fighting aimlessly for three and a half years a War that should have taken a Real Military Power less than a week to win,” adding it makes them look like “a paper tiger.”
The critique is notable given his past emphasis on quick deals and personal rapport with Putin.
Peskov fires back with animal imagery
The Kremlin hit back at the “paper tiger” line with a pointed retort.
“Russia isn’t a tiger, it’s more associated with a bear,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
“There are no paper bears. Russia is a real bear.”
This article is made and published by Kathrine Frich, which may have used AI in the preparation
