🔗 Share this article

Initially, Trump gave the impression to adopt a resolute stance concerning Ukraine. After delivering statements of "significant consequences" during the summer should Vladimir Putin persisted obstructing peace talks, Trump ultimately introduced major sanctions on Russia's biggest oil companies, these major energy companies. This action substantially impacted the Russian leader's capability to support his military invasion in Ukraine.

But, with his latest 28-point peace plan for the conflict, that was created by US and Russian representatives without Ukrainian or EU participation, he has clearly reverted to his pro-Putin approach.

Benefiting Military Action

This plan would in practice favor the Russian leader for invading a sovereign nation while putting Ukraine's democracy in peril. Despite strong declarations that "The nation's independence will be confirmed", significant aspects of the proposal in reality weaken that very independence. Seen as a Moscow's wish would probably be a disaster for Ukraine.

Showing his business background, the former president continues to consider the war as a simple territorial dispute, like giving Russia a section of Ukraine's territory will satisfy the ruler. However, Putin's military campaign is not simply about dominating a destroyed area of industrial-devastated area in the Donbas region. Instead, it's about the nation's democracy – and the Russian leader's obvious desire to weaken it so it no longer functions as an attractive example for the Russian people of the responsible governance that Putin's deepening dictatorship prevents them.

Territorial Giveaways

While freezing in position the presently separated oblasts of these areas, the plan would require Ukraine to give up the entire Donetsk province. Aside from benefiting the Russian Federation with land that its troops have been failed to occupy in exceeding a lengthy period of conflict, this giveaway would make Ukrainian defenses dangerously weakened.

This region is the site of the nation's highly-touted "fortress belt", the entrenched military defenses that constitute a critical barrier to Russian advances. The proposal would have Ukraine surrender these defenses, giving Russian forces a open path to the capital should he eventually choose to resume the hostilities.

Defense Limitations

Furthermore, in a step that would make renewed hostilities easier for Russia, the plan would mandate the nation to cut the scale of its armed forces from their present 800,000 to 850,000 personnel to a cap of this lower number. Importantly, Trump's proposal sets no such constraints on the invading army.

In what appears as a gesture to Putin's efforts to depict the nation's legitimate administration as extremists, Trump's plan states: "All extremist ideology and activities must be rejected and prohibited." As if to underscore this aspect, it demands that "The nation will hold democratic votes in three months" of a truce. At the same time, Trump places no condition that Putin risk his authoritarian rule by holding elections in Russia.

Security Assurances

Admittedly, the initiative has Russia pledge not to "enter other states" and to "incorporate in legislation its stance of non-violence towards the EU and the Ukrainian people". But considering that the Russian leadership has breached equivalent treaties in the previous instances – such as the 1994 agreement, in which Russia promised to respect the nation's sovereignty in return for surrendering its historical atomic arms, and the previous peace deals, in which Russia agreed to a ceasefire and a handback of seized land in eastern Ukraine to Kyiv – for what reason should the international community believe Putin now?

This explains Ukraine has been so adamant on western defense commitments. While the initiative warns of a "decisive coordinated defense action" if the Russian Federation renew its invasion, and states that "The nation will receive strong protection assurances", the details range from vague to alarming. The initiative would not just deny Ukraine accession to NATO but also prevent Nato members from stationing troops on Ukrainian territory, thus blocking the peacekeeping contingent, presumptively led by the UK and France, on which the Ukrainian government had been depending to stop Putin from replenishing his weakened military, restocking, and reinvading.

World Concern

An additional parallel deal according to sources would offer the nation with a alliance-like protection assurance, in which any subsequent "major, intentional, and continuous aggression" by the Russian Federation on the country "would be considered as an attack endangering the tranquility of the Western nations." That suggests a armed reaction. But different from a strong national defense – Ukraine's best protection against renewed Russian aggression – the success of the parallel accord would depend on the dedication of alliance members, such as Trump, to react through arms to Russia's hostilities, something they have {not