Peloni: So no peace in Ukraine after all? How exactly is it that Ukraine is going to regain its lost territory with a deficit in men, material, and morale with which it has struggled since the outset of the conflict, which Trump appears to now be backing. While it is unlikely that Putin will react to this as a declaration of war, he will likely see it as a continuation of the Washington/European attempt to defeat Russia, to which Trump had previously been opposed.
Leo Hohmann | Sep 23, 2025
Photo by President.gov.ua, CC BY 4.0, Wikipedia
How ironic that on the very day President Donald Trump’s second would-be assassin, Ryan Routh, was convicted on all charges, the president swings over to the same side of an issue that was very important to Routh.
Mr. Routh was a rabid supporter of Ukraine in its Western-backed proxy war against Russia and he was literally in the business of recruiting mercenaries for the Ukrainian armed forces.
While speaking at the United Nations General Assembly Tuesday, President Trump gave Europeans a tongue-lashing for buying Russian oil and gas and urged them to not only stop buying it but to join him in levying economic sanctions against China, India and any other country that buys oil from Russia. These were fighting words.
In the above statement, Trump mocks Russia as a fake military power and foolishly refers to Russia as a “paper tiger.” He implied that he would continue to support Ukraine’s drone attacks on Russian oil and gas facilities. This ignores the fact that Russia has refused to roll out its biggest and most devastating weapon systems against Ukraine as Putin has held out for a negotiated settlement with Trump, giving him the benefit of the doubt as an honest broker. He’s quickly learning that Trump is no more in favor of ending this war than Biden was, so perhaps we will see some of those bigger weapons deployed against Ukraine in the near future. Yes, Putin could end this war in a week if he unleashed Oreshnik missiles on Kiev and targeted key government installations instead of just infrastructure and weapons depots. Is Trump daring him to do that?
Trump writes:
“In fact, it is very much making them look like ‘a paper tiger.’ When the people living in Moscow, and all of the Great Cities, towns and districts all throughout Russia, find out what is really going on with this War, the fact that it’s almost impossible for them to get gasoline through the long lines that are being formed, and all of the other things that are taking place in their War Economy, where most of their money is being spent on fighting Ukraine, which has Great Spirit, and only getting better, Ukraine would be able to take back their Country in its original form and, who knows, maybe even go further than that! Putin and Russia are in BIG Economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act.”
He then went on to say that “We will continue to supply weapons to NATO for NATO to do what they want with them.”
There’s a lot to unpack in this statement from Trump.
First, he is signaling to Putin that he will continue to support the drone attacks deep inside Russia, targeting specifically Russia’s energy sector. The fact that Trump is trying to hide US financial and military support for Ukraine behind the facade of “NATO” is a joke. Everyone knows that NATO is run by the United States, and without the United States, NATO would cease to exist. But Trump says he’s going to “supply weapons to NATO for NATO to do what they want with them.” He must really think we are are stupid. Maybe most of us are. Unfortunately, Putin is not. He will at some point respond to Trump’s bullying.
Second, Trump hints that the US financial and military support for Ukraine will not end until Ukraine pushes Russia out of all its territory, which ostensibly includes Crimea, a peninsula Russia will never hand over to the Western puppets in Ukraine. But Trump doesn’t stop there. He takes his jab at Russian pride a step further when he says maybe the US will not be satisfied with reclaiming all of Ukraine but may even use its Ukrainian proxies to push into Russian territory. He could not have issued a more provocative statement if he had tried.
This is Trump signaling to Putin and the world that he is going all in with the neocons of his party, led by Lindsey Graham, who wish to confront Russia and get into a shooting war with that rival superpower. In effect, they want World War III to commence as soon as possible and will do whatever is necessary to provoke Russia into starting it.
The most outragious part of Trump’s statement, however, was his referring to Russia as a “paper tiger.” This is the country with the world’s largest stockpile of nuclear weapons and advanced hypersonic missiles that can be launched and hit European capitals within minutes. This is the country with the world’s largest supply of natural resources, including rare earths, gold, oil, gas, and great mineral wealth. Yet, Trump chooses to ignore Russia’s legitimate security interests on its border with Ukraine and side with the insane Europeans who want World War III with Russia. Then he chooses to throw salt in Putin’s eye by referring to his country, which has a 1,000-year history, as a “paper tiger.” Incredible.
These comments by Trump also prove that I have been right all along in my analysis that Trump never had any intentions of dismantling NATO. It’s still very useful as the military arm of a U.S.-led New World Order.
Later in the day, while speaking with French President Macron in a joint presser, Trump doubled down on his statement about Russia, saying, “Most of you have seen the recent statement I put out. I’m glad you got it, but I feel that way. Let him (Zelensky) get that land back, so we’ll see how it all works out.”
Yes, we will see how it works out. If Trump continues down this path and gets Europe to join him in escalating the economic warfare against Russia, look out. World War III, here we come.
BOTTOM LINE: Russians will see this statement by Trump as something very near a delcaration of war. Trump talks a lot about how this war is more of a European problem than an American one because “we are surrounded by oceans” and the Europeans are right there in Russia’s backyard.
It’s sad that I need to remind you of this, Mr. President: Oceans don’t stop Oreshnik missiles.
Pray for peace. Prepare for war. These are tumultuous times.
LAURA-
From my limited position, is that Ukraine gets back lands captured in aggressive invasion,
Israel has Legal, moral, and indigenous rights from San Remo Sevres, UN…..
To annex would indicate area won by war,.always at risk of being returned under settlement of war so always can be subject to barter.
Israel’s rights are forever, never to be sold away.
So called present occupants are illegal infiltrators, transfers by Ottomans, captured by Jordan , nor recognised except by Britian their backers and Pakistan , virulent Moslem coubtry.
Why does Ukraine get to take back its territory but Israel can’t annex Judea and Samaria?
Peloni, I think I’ve been calling this one right (even though I’ve come to despise Denys Davydov’s cringe comments against Trump).
Russian Soldiers KILL Their Commander… Then Mass Surrender ERUPTS
https://youtu.be/w7sYeiY_n6Q
@Michael
I have been cautioned to wait to see what Trump does, rather than simply reacting to his shift in rhetoric. So we will see.
Concerning Peloni’s point about the possibility that Putin might launch a nuclear strike on the United States: Russia has a long history of making dire threats against countries with whom she is in conflict, but not acting on them. Throughout Cold War I, Russia repeatedly made extremely dire threats against the United States, including threats to use nuclear weapons against the United States. But it never acted on them. I believe that Trump and his advisors regard Russia’s president-day threats against the United States as mere blustering, not serious warnings. Trump has also pointed out that if Russia actually did launch a nuclear attack o the united States, the U.S. has the fire-power to completely destroy Russia within minutes in a counter-strike.
That much being said, we live in a very dangerous world. The possibility of war between the United States and Russia cannot be dismissed out of hand.
@Adam
I think you mistook my comments for that of Hohmann. I do not believe that Putin will be inclined in any way towards launching a nuclear strike against the US.
I am glad that Trump has changed his mind about the Russo-Ukraine war. It appears that he has learned the facts about the conflict, which has enabled him to change his policies. Also, he has been shocked and angered by Putin’s refusal to heed his repeated calls for a ceasefire by both sides in the conflict, while Ukraine has accepted nearly all of Trump’s conditions for achieving a cease-fire as well as continued American aid, both humanitarian and military.
Putin Panics as Ukraine Takes Out More Oil Facilities
https://youtu.be/bEEwnEdDE9s
Putin Slams Economy — VAT to 22%
The countdown to Russia’s economic Armageddon has begun
https://youtu.be/A-RjGuAzc5M
@Michael,
This has been promised how many times now? Russia and the Russian people appear to have a stronger sense of what they face than Westerners imagine, or have they simply been wrong on this point upto now because they were drinking their own propaganda.
Time will tell.
The very day Routgh was convicted? Could he be sending a message to future would-be assassins? Zelensky was elected as a peace candidate, was threatened and did a 180.
Fact is, both sides believe they are right and can make a case on the basis of different principles.
https://www.israpundit.org/63688531-2/
Neither side consists of pragmatists.
That’s the core of the Oslo Delusion. Israel’s leaders have mostly been pragmatists, weighing cost/benefit scenarios. The Pals are not and never have been. Israel’s leaders, and Western leaders generally, can’t wrap their heads around that.
It’s Solomon, the two mothers and the baby, except that the real mother has been willing to divide the baby up until now, thinking this would be evidence of sincerity and genuine concern for the baby instead of being perceived as the opposite.
@Sebastien,
A very important and well described comment. I entirely agree.
One more time:
Trump often says one thing for public consumption but feels differently about it inside. How many times have we seen this?
He’s done it with so many countries on his tariff wars, he’s condemned his best friend Bibi publicly, he’s backtracked on many statements he’s made (remember when he was going to ban Tic Tok?).
I believe you are well aware that I am not a fan of Zelensky’s antisemitic, corrupt Ukraine. Nor am a fan of Putin’s Russia. I trust neither and neither are our friend.
As I’ve stated numerous times in the past I am totally against supplying Ukraine with an endless supply of weapons, money and aid with no end in sight and worse- possibly leading us into a very deadly WWIII with a mighty nuclear armed Russia. I’ve blogged about it several times and my first post on it https://leonupsidedown.blogspot.com/2022/03/why-are-so-many-idolizing-zelensky-and.html has received almost 56,000 views and counting.
Trump promised that he’d end the war there and if he can, I wish him all the success in the world. I was hoping that Putin had enough respect and trust with Trump that Putin would negotiate a peace agreement in good faith with the US as the sponsor. Trump certainly had/has his hands full with both of these leaders. He already publicly dressed down Zelensky who was playing games instead of coming to the table. He seems on board now. Putin is still playing games. Perhaps he misread Trump earlier on, who like me, gave Putin a pass on starting the war. Maybe he thought he could play Trump and keep winning territory from Ukraine right under Trump’s nose. After all, despite all the fake news about Russia’s losses, they have been winning this war from day one and are clearly still winning albeit slower than anticipated. Israel could take on Ukraine and win if it had to.
So to the point, I think that Trump is simply trying to get Putin to come to the table and forge a legitimate peace deal with Ukraine. He will say anything to make this happen even if it might ruffle some feathers from many who like myself and the author, DO NOT WANT WWIII with Russia.
Unlike the author, I don’t think that Putin, who is no dummy, considers Trump’s words as a dare for Putin to launch those missiles and start WWIII. Trump is using a tactic to try to get Putin to come to the table for real this time. Hopefully Trump’s public message will cause Putin to pick up the phone and call him. How this ends is anybody’s guess. I do admire Trump’s sincere calls for peace but insisting that 2 arch enemies suddenly shake hands is not only often a pipe dream but it’s a dream that can backfire. Trump has tried this with Israel and the Arabs (Hamas, PA, etc.) and you see how that is working out.
I do like that he gave the European’s shit for buying Russian oil!
How hypocritical and short sighted of them. Sadly most European’s continue to make all the wrong choices and do all the wrong things. So nothing new here.
I’m ok if this war continues as it has with both sides suffering losses not just on the war field but also huge economical losses. To be frank, it’s out of our hands. I’m sorry for any innocent lives lost but throwing money and weapons at Ukraine won’t help the cause one bit. Zelensky and his henchmen are growing richer by the day. Putin already was super rich before the war began. Like the Iran / Iraq war years ago I enjoyed watching these 2 terror sponsoring states killing each other.
In short, am I saying that I agree with Trump’s wording of his statement that contain very real threats against the superpower we know as Russia? No. I don’t think I would have worded it that way but I’m just a nobody named Leon and Trump is way smarter than I am, privy to tons of secrets that I am not and he’s the president of the USA. The truth is that I really don’t care either way because as I implied already, Trump does NOT want WWIII with Russia over the Ukraine war. He isn’t Lindsay Graham and he’s not John Bolton.
Mr. Hohmann, like so many others, is rushing to judgement. Trump says something and everyone rushes in to disparage him. As the leader of the most powerful country in the world, he is constantly walking a tight rope. We must pray that he doesn’t fall. By over reacting to his words, we are helping him to lose his balance.
That is not to say that we must not criticize his words when we find fault with them. In fact I did just that in my post about Trump calling Qatar a close US ally after Israel killed some high ranking Hamas members there. Here is that post: https://leonupsidedown.blogspot.com/2025/09/the-truth-will-set-you-free.html
But in this case I don’t find Mr. Hohmann’s hyper charged article helpful.
Does he really mean what he says?
Does he really believe that Ukraine can defeat Russia?
Or he knows very well that this is not going to happen?
What is he triying to do? Sale more weapens to the Europeans?
Weaken Europe?
Is ge gone senile?
Or does he have a plan?