US President Donald Trump's proposed "peace plan" for Ukraine was little more than a pro-Kremlin abomination, cynically engineered to serve Russian interests. The very fact that it has been met with resistance from Ukrainian negotiators is a glimmer of hope in the midst of this devastating conflict.
The US president's plan, negotiated by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner - both close personal friends of Trump - was crafted with scant knowledge of Ukraine, relying heavily on their own diplomatic acumen and connections to Putin. It is little wonder that the deal leaned so decidedly in Russia's favor, requiring Ukraine to cap its armed forces at a mere 600,000 while offering no comparable constraints for Moscow.
One of the most egregious aspects of the plan was its recognition of Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk as de facto Russian territory - granting Putin control over areas that have yet to be fully captured. The plan also freezes battle lines, allowing Russia to retain territory seized in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. In contrast, Ukraine is required to amend its constitution to drop its commitment to joining NATO.
The rewards for Russia are equally egregious: readmission to the G8, reintegration into the global economy, negotiations toward a staged lifting of sanctions, and cooperation on energy and infrastructure projects. Perhaps most concerning, however, is the plan's demand for Ukrainian de-Nazification - a provision that validates Putin's baseless narrative about Ukraine being riddled with Nazis.
Despite Russia's numerous war crimes - including atrocities in Bucha, Irpin, and Borodianka - the plan grants the Kremlin full immunity from prosecution. This is hardly surprising given Trump's long-standing admiration for Putin and disdain for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The fact that Ukraine has resisted this "peace plan" should serve as a welcome reminder of its determination to resist Russian aggression. While some have argued that the war in Ukraine is futile, it remains a vital US interest - one that requires a more nuanced and informed approach than the hastily cobbled-together peace plan that Trump has presented.
In light of reports that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio attempted to rework the 28-point plan based on Ukrainian reactions, albeit with denials from his office, it is heartening to see glimmers of hope for Ukraine's future. If Trump's proposal ultimately fails, that will be a welcome development - one that could mark a turning point in the conflict and pave the way for a more just and lasting peace.
The US president's plan, negotiated by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner - both close personal friends of Trump - was crafted with scant knowledge of Ukraine, relying heavily on their own diplomatic acumen and connections to Putin. It is little wonder that the deal leaned so decidedly in Russia's favor, requiring Ukraine to cap its armed forces at a mere 600,000 while offering no comparable constraints for Moscow.
One of the most egregious aspects of the plan was its recognition of Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk as de facto Russian territory - granting Putin control over areas that have yet to be fully captured. The plan also freezes battle lines, allowing Russia to retain territory seized in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. In contrast, Ukraine is required to amend its constitution to drop its commitment to joining NATO.
The rewards for Russia are equally egregious: readmission to the G8, reintegration into the global economy, negotiations toward a staged lifting of sanctions, and cooperation on energy and infrastructure projects. Perhaps most concerning, however, is the plan's demand for Ukrainian de-Nazification - a provision that validates Putin's baseless narrative about Ukraine being riddled with Nazis.
Despite Russia's numerous war crimes - including atrocities in Bucha, Irpin, and Borodianka - the plan grants the Kremlin full immunity from prosecution. This is hardly surprising given Trump's long-standing admiration for Putin and disdain for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The fact that Ukraine has resisted this "peace plan" should serve as a welcome reminder of its determination to resist Russian aggression. While some have argued that the war in Ukraine is futile, it remains a vital US interest - one that requires a more nuanced and informed approach than the hastily cobbled-together peace plan that Trump has presented.
In light of reports that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio attempted to rework the 28-point plan based on Ukrainian reactions, albeit with denials from his office, it is heartening to see glimmers of hope for Ukraine's future. If Trump's proposal ultimately fails, that will be a welcome development - one that could mark a turning point in the conflict and pave the way for a more just and lasting peace.
Russia's gains from this plan are insane! 600k soldiers for Ukraine is crazy low. And de-Nazification is like, totally ridiculous 
. I mean, what's next? The US gonna ask Canada to cut their military too? 
It's all about Russia getting a free pass and Ukraine being forced to play nice. Not cool 
.
. And the part about de-Nazification? Are you kidding me? That's just a bunch of propaganda from Putin.
. Whatever, I'm just glad someone is taking a stand for Ukraine's future.
... it does seem super favorable to Russia's interests, especially with Crimea being recognized as Russian territory 
. The part about Ukraine having to amend its constitution to drop NATO membership is just wild 
.
, but I'm not sure if a reworked plan by Rubio will be much better 
. Trump's track record on Ukraine isn't exactly spotless 
... and the fact that Russia gets away with so many war crimes is just unacceptable 
.
... but we need to make sure that the US is backing up its words with some real action 
.
. At least Marco Rubio is trying to work with Ukraine... let's see what happens next 
.
. I mean, who wouldn't want to join the G8 again? 
.
. How can you trust someone who's so close to Putin to make diplomatic decisions for Ukraine? 
.
. Maybe it'll force the US to take a harder stance and get serious about holding Russia accountable for its war crimes 
But, at least Ukraine isn't giving in 
Trump's plan was a total failure 
glimmers of hope for Ukraine's future 
, like he thinks ukraine is gonna just roll over for russia? 
nope not on our watch 
and with marco rubio trying to rework it, that's a step in the right direction 
fingers crossed this whole thing blows up in trump's face 
.