Trump/Putin Ukraine Peace Plan Faces Strong EU Pushback

The latest Ukraine peace plan composed secretly recently by the minions of President Donald J. Trump and Russian führer Vladimir Putin is facing strong pushback by European Union (EU) leaders.

The gambit, revealed this week, in essence offers nothing new while regurgitating Moscow’s longstanding demands to end its war against Ukraine. It insists on retaining Russian occupation of Ukraine’s eastern oblasts, forgetting about Kyiv’s accession to NATO and surrendering some of its arms.

Reuters reported on Wednesday, November 19, that the US has asked President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to accept a peace plan which would involve relinquishing some territory and weapons, as well as reducing the size of Ukraine’s armed forces.

European leaders, led by Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Keir Rodney Starmer and Kaja Kallas, an Estonian politician and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, oppose the proposal because it was reached without the participation of Kyiv and the EU. They believe that lasting peace and security in Ukraine is impossible with their involvement.

They also support President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s policy of not surrendering any Ukrainian land to Moscow.

In other words, European leaders say, a durable peace plan for Ukraine should favor it, the defender of its sovereignty, rather than Russia, the aggressor and invader. Imagine the negotiating table at the end of World War Two, at which Hitler’s representatives, were listing its demands and grievances before signing the unconditional surrender.

“For any plan to work, it needs Ukrainians and Europeans on board,” Kallas said at the start of a meeting in Brussels of the 27-nation bloc’s foreign ministers.

When asked by reporters if Trump can succeed in ending the war, Kallas, a firm supporter of Ukraine, observed: “No, in order to end this war, you need the Ukrainians and the Europeans to agree to those plans. Of course, Putin could end this war immediately, if he just stopped bombing civilians and killing people. But we have not seen any concessions on the Russian side. We welcome all the meaningful efforts to end this war. But like we have said before, it has to be just and lasting. That also means that the Ukrainians, but also Europeans, agree to this.”

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski observed, “We commend peace efforts, but Europe is the main supporter of Ukraine and it’s, of course, Europe’s security that’s at stake. So we expect to be consulted.”

A source in the President’s Office in Kyiv was decidedly unenthusiastic about the possible plan when speaking to the Kyiv Independent newspaper, adding that Washington appears to be shifting toward a framework aligned with Moscow’s demands. Actually, the White House is showing its true colors of endorsing whatever the Kremlin says about ending Russia’s war against Ukraine. Apparently, no amount of Russian brutality and murder in Ukraine at least since February 2022 can convince Trump of the fatal error of his plan. This is not a heroic attribute of the leader of the free world. Trump will be remembered for this and not for his unmerited Nobel Peace Prize.

A Kyiv Independent source familiar with the US proposal said the Kremlin has hardened its maximalist conditions, sensing Ukraine's worsening position on the front lines and exploiting the fallout from a major corruption scandal involving people close to Zelenskyy.

Moscow has been keen on manipulating any foreign situation that would boost its position. It has been known to exacerbate historical pains between Ukraine and Poland and now it is hoping to undermine Ukraine’s national unity with aggravating news about corruption in Zelenskyy’s ranks. Consequently, the Kyiv government must be quickly responsive in dealing with historical grievances and fraud.

European countries pushed back on Thursday, November 20, against the US-backed peace plan for Ukraine that sources said would require Kyiv to give up more land and partially disarm, conditions long seen by Ukraine's allies as tantamount to capitulation.

Two sources said Washington had signaled to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Kyiv must accept a US-drafted framework to end the war, which includes unacceptable and immoral territorial concessions and curbs to Ukraine’s armed forces. The sources spoke to Reuters on condition they were not identified because of the sensitivity of the matter.

European Union foreign ministers meeting in Brussels did not comment in much detail about a U.S. plan that has not been made public, but indicated they would not accept demands for Kyiv to make punishing concessions.

“Ukrainians want peace – a just peace that respects everyone’s sovereignty, a durable peace that can’t be called into question by future aggression,” said French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot. “But peace cannot be a capitulation.”

UK’s Starmer said: “We share President Trump’s desire to bring this barbaric war to an end.

“But Russia could do this tomorrow by withdrawing its forces and ending its illegal invasion.

“Instead, Putin continues to send a barrage of missiles and drones into Ukraine, destroying the lives of innocent Ukrainians, including children and the elderly.

“We welcome all efforts to seek a secure and lasting peace for Ukraine.

“As we’ve been repeatedly clear, only the Ukrainian people can determine their future.

“In the meantime we will continue our support for Ukraine, helping make sure they have the military resources they need to defend themselves from Russia’s continued aggression, while sustaining economic pressure.”

Russia also qualified its demands for ending its war against Ukraine but stating, according to Reuters, that any peace plan for Ukraine would have to eliminate the root causes of the conflict.

That being said, my reply is quite simple: Let’s eliminate Russia – it is the only root cause of all regional and global wars and suffering.

PS – Recovery efforts are still under way in Ternopil, where sadistic Russia killed 26 innocent Ukrainians in their beds. Kaja Kallas said 93% of Russian targets in Ukraine have been civilians and civilian infrastructure, homes, schools, and hospitals.