Russian officials have privately mocked Donald Trump as “naive” over his belief that Vladimir Putin wants peace in Ukraine, according to British intelligence intercepts that have intensified diplomatic tensions between Washington and Moscow.

The claims, reported in February 2026 by Tim Shipman in The Spectator, are based on communications shared by the UK with the United States. A senior security source said the material showed that: “The Russians are privately mocking Trump over his naivety about Putin’s intentions. Putin doesn’t want to end the war.”

The intercepts appear to underline a stark contrast between the Kremlin’s public posture and cynical calculations behind closed doors.

While Putin has warmly praised Mr Trump in public comments — encouraging what officials described as a “real estate style” peace deal — members of Russia’s elite allegedly view the US president as a “useful tool” who struggles to grasp the ideological nature of the conflict.

The disclosures risk further damaging the relationship between the two leaders, characterised by public flattery interspersed by personal insults, and military signalling.

Tensions flared in September 2025 when Mr Trump mocked Russia’s military performance. Speaking to US generals, Mr Trump suggestd that Russia was “a paper tiger.” He later repeated the insult on Truth Social, writing: “You’re four years fighting a war that should have taken a week. Are you a paper tiger?”

The Kremlin responded publicly weeks later. At the Valdai Discussion Club in October, President Putin said: “A paper tiger? Go and deal with this paper tiger then. If we are fighting against the entire bloc of NATO and we keep advancing… then what is NATO itself?”

The exchange illustrated the personal tone of the stand-off, with rhetoric spilling over into military gestures.

In August 2025, Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president, mocked what he described as Mr Trump’s “ultimatum diplomacy,” calling the US leader weak and accusing him of playing “zombie games”.

Peeved, Mr Trump responded by announcing that he had ordered two nuclear submarines to move into “appropriate regions” near Russia, describing the move as a precaution in light of Medvedev’s “inflammatory” remarks.

The Kremlin reacted with derision. Mr Medvedev later quipped: “Moscow saw no sign of the nuclear submarines Trump claimed to move… perhaps he should be pondering whether Putin is disappointed in him.” Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, also dismissed the episode.

According to the senior security source cited by Mr Shipman, the intercepts show that Putin’s public praise of Mr Trump was tactical rather than sincere, aimed at encouraging a deal on Moscow’s terms while the war continued.

The assessment suggests that personal rapport between the two leaders – on show when Putin visited Alaska – may not deliver a rapid settlement. It also reinforces concerns among Western officials that Moscow’s strategic objectives remain unchanged despite intermittent diplomatic overtures.

The episode highlights a broader pattern in 2025 and early 2026: a geopolitical climate in which social media posts, staged conference remarks, and intelligence leaks carry immediate strategic consequences. Personal taunts have coincided with nuclear submarine deployments and counter-threats.

For Mr Trump, the political risk is clear. Publicly, he has presented himself as capable of striking a deal where others have failed. However, privately, according to British intercepts, the Kremlin sees a leader who has misunderstood Putin’s intentions from the start.