The Kremlin said Wednesday it has no alternative but to press on with its military offensive in Ukraine, dismissing U.S. President Donald Trump's assertion that Russia is a "paper tiger."
After meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a day earlier, the U.S. leader said Ukraine could win back every inch of its territory from Russia, which he characterized as a "paper tiger" with a failing economy.
The remarks were a major pivot in Trump's stance on the three-and-a-half-year conflict and come after weeks of mounting frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin for refusing to halt his offensive.
"We are continuing our special military operation to ensure our interests and achieve the goals" set by Putin, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, using Moscow's term for its assault on Ukraine.
"We are doing this for both the present and the future of our country. For many generations to come. Therefore, we have no alternative," he added in a radio interview.
