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Initially, the former US president gave the impression to embrace a strong approach regarding the Ukrainian conflict. Following making statements of "significant repercussions" during the summer if Russia's president continued hindering ceasefire talks, Trump eventually imposed major penalties on Russia's two largest petroleum corporations, these major energy companies. This decision seriously hindered Putin's ability to fund his military invasion in Ukraine.

But, through his recently unveiled comprehensive peace proposal for the conflict, reportedly developed by US and Russian officials without Ukrainian or European input, Trump has seemingly reverted to his pro-Putin stance.

Benefiting Aggression

This proposal would essentially reward the Russian leader for invading a sovereign nation while putting the country's democracy in jeopardy. Despite ringing proclamations that "The nation's autonomy will be upheld", large portions of the proposal in reality undermine that same independence. This constitutes a Moscow's wish would likely be a disaster for Ukraine.

Reflecting his business experience, Trump persists to view the war as a simple border issue, like giving Putin a portion of Ukrainian territory will appease the leader. But, Putin's war is not simply about dominating a destroyed region of deindustrialized land in eastern Ukraine. Rather, it is about the nation's democratic governance – and Putin's obvious intention to destroy it so it stops serves as an enticing example for the Russian citizens of the responsible leadership that his increasing autocracy prevents them.

Border Giveaways

While keeping in status the currently divided regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, the plan would compel the nation to abandon the entire Donetsk region. Aside from favoring Russia with territory that its forces have been failed to occupy in more than a decade of fighting, this concession would leave Ukraine's defenses critically weakened.

The area is the place of the nation's much-vaunted "fortress belt", the well-established defensive positions that represent a essential barrier to enemy progress. The proposal would have Ukraine leave these positions, providing Putin a clear route to Kyiv in case he subsequently opt to renew the conflict.

Armed Forces Limitations

Additionally, in a move that would facilitate future conflict simpler for the Russian military, Trump would mandate Ukraine to cut the size of its troops from their present approximately 800,000 troops to a cap of 600,000. Notably, the plan sets no such constraints on Russia's military.

Seemingly as a concession to Putin's efforts to characterize Ukraine's chosen by the people government as Nazis, Trump's plan declares: "All Nazi doctrine and activities must be rejected and banned." Seemingly to highlight this element, it requires that "Ukraine will hold democratic votes in three months" of a peace deal. However, the proposal sets no condition that the Russian leader endanger his regime by allowing elections in Russia.

Defense Commitments

Admittedly, the proposal makes the Russian Federation commit not to "enter bordering nations" and to "incorporate in law its stance of non-aggression towards the EU and the Ukrainian people". Yet considering that Putin has breached comparable treaties in the past – such as the 1994 agreement, in which Russia committed to honor the nation's sovereignty in return for relinquishing its historical nuclear arsenal, and the previous peace deals, in which Moscow committed to a halt in fighting and a return of occupied territory in eastern Ukraine to Kyiv – for what reason should anyone believe Russia on this occasion?

That is why the Ukrainian government has been so insistent on external defense commitments. While the initiative threatens a "immediate coordinated defense action" in case Russia resume its aggression, and states that "The nation will receive reliable security guarantees", the details include fuzzy to alarming. The initiative would not only block Ukraine alliance membership but also prevent Nato members from positioning troops on Ukraine's soil, thus blocking the peacekeeping contingent, reportedly commanded by European powers, on which Ukraine had been counting to deter Russia from replenishing his diminished forces, re-equipping, and attacking again.

Global Reaction

A separate side agreement according to sources would grant Ukraine with a alliance-like security guarantee, in which any future "significant, planned, and ongoing military assault" by the Russian Federation on the country "would be considered as an act of war jeopardizing the peace and security of the Western nations." This implies a military response. Yet in contrast to a strong Ukrainian military – Ukraine's most reliable protection against additional hostilities – the credibility of the supplementary deal would rely on the dedication of alliance members, such as Trump, to act militarily to Putin's aggression, an action they have {not