The New York Post reports that US President Donald Trump's recent abrupt shift in rhetoric toward Russia represents a "negotiating tactic" rather than a change in Washington's official policy on the conflict in Ukraine. Sources inside and outside the White House have stated this.

According to the newspaper, Trump's claim that Russia is a "paper tiger" is based on new US intelligence indicating an impending "economic collapse" and military defeat for the Kremlin on the Ukrainian front. The administration believes these assessments are intended to increase pressure on Moscow.

Furthermore, Trump's statement that Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, "can restore its country to its original form and perhaps go further" is seen as a "strategic move" to coerce Russia into negotiations. Sources emphasize that the goal is to force the Kremlin to the negotiating table while maintaining current restrictions on the use of American weapons for strikes deep into Russian territory.