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For a brief period, the former US president seemed to adopt a resolute approach regarding Ukraine. After delivering warnings of "significant ramifications" during the summer if Russia's president continued obstructing ceasefire negotiations, the former president finally imposed substantial penalties on the Russian two largest petroleum corporations, these major energy companies. This action substantially impacted Putin's capability to fund his military invasion in Ukraine.

Yet, via his newly presented comprehensive peace proposal for the conflict, that was created by both nations' representatives lacking Ukraine's or EU participation, Trump has apparently reverted to his Russia-friendly approach.

Favoring Aggression

This plan would essentially benefit Putin for occupying Ukraine while leaving Ukraine's democracy in danger. Despite bold statements that "The nation's autonomy will be affirmed", significant aspects of the proposal in reality undermine that same autonomy. What represents a Moscow's wish would likely be a Ukrainian nightmare.

Demonstrating his corporate background, the former president continues to treat the war as a mere land disagreement, as if giving Russia a part of Ukrainian territory will appease the leader. Yet, Putin's military campaign is not simply about occupying a destroyed area of economically weakened territory in Ukraine's east. Rather, it is about the nation's democratic governance – and the Russian leader's apparent intention to eliminate it so it ceases to acts as an enticing model for the Russian citizens of the accountable governance that his growing autocracy denies them.

Border Giveaways

Although keeping in place the already split regions of these areas, the initiative would compel the nation to abandon the whole Donetsk region. Beyond benefiting the Russian Federation with land that its forces have been unable to occupy in over a lengthy period of warfare, this giveaway would render Ukrainian defensive positions critically undermined.

Donetsk is the location of the nation's highly-touted "stronghold system", the fortified protective structures that represent a essential barrier to invading forces. Trump would have Ukraine leave these defenses, leaving Putin a open path to the capital should he eventually choose to restart the conflict.

Defense Restrictions

Then, in a action that would facilitate additional hostilities simpler for Russia, the plan would mandate the nation to cut the size of its military from their existing large number personnel to a cap of this lower number. Significantly, the plan sets no equivalent limits on Russian forces.

Apparently as a concession to Putin's attempts to portray the nation's democratically elected leadership as extremists, Trump's plan declares: "Any extremist belief system and actions must be opposed and forbidden." As if to emphasize this aspect, it insists that "Ukraine will hold democratic votes in this period" of a ceasefire agreement. Meanwhile, Trump imposes no obligation that Putin endanger his dictatorship by conducting elections in Russia.

Defense Assurances

Admittedly, the plan has the Russian Federation promise not to "attack other states" and to "enshrine in regulation its position of peaceful relations towards Europe and Ukraine". But taking into account that Putin has violated comparable treaties in the previous instances – including the Budapest accord, in which the Russian government pledged to honor the nation's borders in return for surrendering its Soviet-era nuclear weapons, and the previous peace deals, in which Moscow agreed to a halt in fighting and a restoration of seized areas in eastern Ukraine to Ukrainian control – how should we trust this commitment this time?

This explains the Ukrainian government has been so determined on external defense commitments. While the plan warns of a "strong unified armed reaction" should Russia renew its invasion, and states that "The nation will receive reliable security guarantees", the particulars include fuzzy to concerning. The plan would not just prevent Ukraine alliance membership but also prevent alliance nations from stationing military personnel on Ukraine's soil, thereby preventing the peacekeeping contingent, reportedly led by Britain and France, on which Ukraine had been depending to deter Russia from replenishing his weakened military, rearming, and attacking again.

World Reaction

A separate supplementary accord apparently would offer the nation with a Nato-style defense commitment, in which any future "major, deliberate, and continuous aggression" by Russia on Ukraine "would be considered as an assault jeopardizing the peace and security of the allied countries." This indicates a military response. But unlike a capable Ukraine's armed forces – the nation's primary defense against future invasion – the effectiveness of the side agreement would rely on the dedication of Nato leaders, such as the US administration, to act militarily to Russia's hostilities, something they have {not