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For a brief period, the former US president gave the impression to adopt a resolute approach on the Ukrainian conflict. Following making warnings of "severe ramifications" during the summer should Putin carried on hindering ceasefire negotiations, Trump finally introduced major penalties on Russia's primary oil companies, Lukoil and Rosneft. This decision substantially impacted Putin's capacity to support his military invasion in Ukraine.

Yet, via his newly presented 28-point peace plan for the conflict, that was developed by American and Russian diplomats excluding Ukraine's or European involvement, the former president has apparently reverted to his pro-Putin position.

Rewarding Invasion

This initiative would in practice favor Putin for occupying Ukraine while leaving Ukraine's democracy in danger. Although bold declarations that "The nation's independence will be confirmed", large portions of the plan actually compromise that essential autonomy. This constitutes a Russian ideal would probably be a catastrophe for the nation.

Reflecting his real-estate background, the former president seems to view the war as a mere border issue, like giving Russia a portion of Ukrainian land will please the leader. But, Russia's war is not merely about controlling a destroyed area of deindustrialized territory in the Donbas region. Instead, it's about Ukraine's political system – and Putin's apparent desire to destroy it so it no longer acts as an attractive model for the Russia's population of the democratic government that his deepening dictatorship withholds them.

Territorial Surrenders

While freezing in place the currently divided oblasts of these areas, the plan would require Ukraine to surrender the whole Donetsk region. Beyond benefiting the Russian Federation with land that its military have been unable to capture in more than a lengthy period of fighting, this concession would make Ukraine's defenses critically weakened.

The area is the site of the nation's highly-touted "stronghold system", the entrenched defensive positions that represent a essential obstacle to invading forces. Trump would have Ukraine abandon these fortifications, giving Russian forces a open path to the capital if he subsequently decide to resume the hostilities.

Armed Forces Limitations

Additionally, in a move that would make renewed fighting more feasible for Russia, Trump would mandate Ukraine to cut the numbers of its troops from their current large number personnel to a cap of six hundred thousand. Significantly, the initiative imposes no such restrictions on Russia's military.

In what appears as a gesture to Putin's attempts to depict Ukraine's democratically elected leadership as extremists, the proposal states: "All radical ideology and actions must be rejected and banned." Apparently to emphasize this point, it requires that "Ukraine will hold democratic votes in 100 days" of a truce. However, Trump places no obligation that the Russian leader endanger his regime by holding votes in Russia.

Defense Commitments

To be sure, the proposal has the Russian Federation commit not to "enter bordering nations" and to "enshrine in legislation its stance of peaceful relations towards Europe and Ukraine". But considering that the Russian leadership has breached equivalent agreements in the history – including the Budapest accord, in which Russia committed to honor the nation's sovereignty in exchange for giving up its historical nuclear weapons, and the Minsk accords, in which Moscow promised to a halt in fighting and a return of occupied areas in the region to Kyiv – why should we trust Putin on this occasion?

That is why Ukraine has been so adamant on external defense commitments. While the proposal promises a "strong coordinated military response" if the Russian Federation renew its invasion, and states that "The nation will receive strong defense commitments", the specifics vary from vague to troubling. The proposal would not only prevent the nation accession to NATO but also prevent Nato members from positioning troops on the nation's land, thereby preventing the reassurance force, reportedly commanded by the UK and France, on which Ukraine had been depending to prevent Russia from replenishing his weakened military, restocking, and attacking again.

International Response

A separate parallel deal apparently would provide Ukraine with a similar to NATO protection assurance, in which any subsequent "serious, intentional, and continuous aggression" by Russia on the country "will be treated as an act of war threatening the tranquility of the Western nations." This indicates a military response. Yet different from a strong national defense – Ukraine's primary deterrent against renewed Russian aggression – the credibility of the supplementary deal would hinge on the dedication of Western powers, like Trump, to react through arms to Russia's aggression, a response they have {not