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Initially, the former US president appeared to take a strong stance regarding the Ukrainian conflict. After delivering statements of "significant repercussions" in August should Putin persisted blocking ceasefire negotiations, Trump eventually imposed substantial restrictions on the Russian primary petroleum corporations, these major energy companies. This action seriously hindered the Russian leader's ability to support his military invasion in the region.

However, through his latest detailed peace proposal for Ukraine, reportedly developed by both nations' representatives without Ukraine's or EU input, he has clearly reverted to his pro-Putin position.

Rewarding Invasion

This plan would essentially favor Putin for attacking Ukraine while placing the country's political freedom in jeopardy. Despite ringing declarations that "Ukraine's autonomy will be upheld", large portions of the initiative actually undermine that same autonomy. This constitutes a Russian ideal would certainly be a Ukrainian nightmare.

Showing his business background, Trump seems to consider the Ukrainian conflict as a mere border issue, implying giving Russia a part of Ukrainian territory will satisfy the president. But, Russia's war is not only about occupying a destroyed area of economically weakened area in Ukraine's east. It is about the nation's democracy – and Putin's obvious desire to destroy it so it ceases to serves as an enticing example for the Russian people of the responsible governance that Putin's growing dictatorship prevents them.

Border Surrenders

Although freezing in position the currently separated oblasts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, Trump's proposal would compel Ukraine to surrender the whole this eastern territory. In addition to rewarding the Russian Federation with area that its forces have been failed to occupy in more than a ten years of conflict, this surrender would leave Ukrainian defenses severely weakened.

The area is the location of Ukraine's highly-touted "defensive line", the entrenched military defenses that constitute a critical barrier to Russian advances. The proposal would have the Ukrainian military abandon these defenses, providing Russian forces a open route to the capital in case he subsequently choose to restart the conflict.

Military Limitations

Furthermore, in a step that would facilitate additional hostilities easier for Russia, Trump would require Ukraine to cut the numbers of its troops from their existing 800,000 to 850,000 soldiers to a maximum of this lower number. Importantly, Trump's initiative places no similar restrictions on the invading army.

Seemingly as a gesture to Putin's efforts to characterize Ukraine's legitimate administration as radicals, Trump's plan declares: "Every extremist doctrine and actions must be rejected and prohibited." As if to underscore this element, it insists that "Ukraine will hold elections in 100 days" of a ceasefire agreement. Meanwhile, the proposal imposes no condition that Putin endanger his regime by holding votes in Russia.

Defense Commitments

To be sure, the initiative has the Russian Federation commit not to "attack other states" and to "enshrine in legislation its policy of peaceful relations towards Europe and the Ukrainian people". Yet taking into account that Putin has broken equivalent accords in the past – such as the Budapest accord, in which the Russian government pledged to recognize Ukraine's borders in exchange for giving up its historical nuclear weapons, and the Minsk accords, in which Moscow agreed to a halt in fighting and a return of occupied land in the Donbas to the government – why should we trust Putin this time?

This explains Ukraine has been so insistent on western protection assurances. While the proposal promises a "immediate unified military response" if Russia renew its aggression, and includes that "The nation will receive reliable security guarantees", the specifics include fuzzy to troubling. The initiative would not just block the nation alliance membership but also prohibit Nato members from positioning troops on the nation's land, thus blocking the reassurance force, likely commanded by European powers, on which Ukraine had been counting to stop Russia from restoring his reduced military, rearming, and attacking again.

International Reaction

An additional side agreement reportedly would offer Ukraine with a Nato-style defense commitment, in which any future "significant, deliberate, and sustained military assault" by Russia on Ukraine "would be considered as an act of war jeopardizing the tranquility of the allied countries." This implies a military response. Yet unlike a strong Ukrainian military – the nation's most reliable protection against future invasion – the credibility of the side agreement would hinge on the dedication of Nato leaders, such as the US administration, to act with force to Putin's attacks, something they have {not