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Initially, the former US president gave the impression to embrace a strong position regarding Ukraine. After issuing warnings of "serious consequences" last August should Vladimir Putin persisted obstructing peace discussions, he finally imposed major restrictions on the Russian two largest energy firms, these major energy companies. This move seriously affected Putin's ability to fund his war effort in Ukraine.

But, through his latest 28-point peace initiative for the conflict, that was drafted by US and Russian representatives lacking Ukrainian or EU input, he has clearly returned to his favorable to Russia approach.

Benefiting Invasion

The former president's plan would essentially reward Putin for attacking a sovereign nation while leaving the country's political freedom in jeopardy. Despite bold declarations that "The nation's autonomy will be confirmed", significant aspects of the plan actually compromise that same autonomy. Seen as a Kremlin dream would probably be a catastrophe for the nation.

Showing his business background, the former president persists to view the war as a mere land disagreement, as if ceding Russia a part of Ukrainian territory will appease the ruler. But, Russia's war is not simply about dominating a destroyed area of deindustrialized area in the Donbas region. Instead, it's about Ukraine's democratic governance – and the Russian leader's obvious desire to weaken it so it ceases to functions as an attractive model for the Russia's population of the democratic governance that Putin's growing authoritarian rule prevents them.

Territorial Surrenders

Although freezing in position the already separated regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, Trump's initiative would compel the nation to surrender all of Donetsk province. Aside from rewarding the Russian Federation with territory that its forces have been failed to seize in more than a ten years of fighting, this giveaway would leave Ukraine's defenses critically compromised.

This region is the location of Ukraine's much-vaunted "stronghold system", the well-established defensive positions that constitute a critical barrier to invading forces. Trump would have the Ukrainian military leave these defenses, providing Russian forces a open way to the capital if he subsequently decide to resume the war.

Military Reductions

Additionally, in a move that would make additional conflict easier for the Russian military, the plan would force the nation to cut the numbers of its armed forces from their present approximately 800,000 personnel to a limit of six hundred thousand. Notably, the proposal sets no similar restrictions on the invading army.

In what appears as a accommodation to Russia's campaign to portray Ukraine's legitimate leadership as Nazis, Trump's proposal states: "All Nazi belief system and actions must be opposed and forbidden." Apparently to underscore this element, it insists that "The nation will hold elections in three months" of a truce. At the same time, the proposal sets no condition that the Russian leader risk his regime by conducting democratic processes in Russia.

Defense Assurances

To be sure, the proposal makes Russia promise not to "enter other states" and to "enshrine in regulation its policy of non-violence towards Europe and Ukraine". However taking into account that the Russian leadership has violated comparable treaties in the past – such as the 1994 Budapest memorandum, in which Russia pledged to honor the nation's borders in exchange for relinquishing its former Soviet atomic arms, and the previous peace deals, in which Moscow committed to a truce and a return of occupied territory in the Donbas to Ukrainian control – how should the international community trust Russia this time?

That is why Ukraine has been so adamant on external protection assurances. Although the plan warns of a "strong joint defense action" in case Russia renew its aggression, and provides that "Ukraine will receive dependable security guarantees", the specifics vary from unclear to alarming. The initiative would not just block the nation accession to NATO but also prohibit alliance nations from deploying troops on the nation's land, thereby blocking the peacekeeping contingent, presumptively commanded by Britain and France, on which the Ukrainian government had been counting to stop Putin from rebuilding his reduced troops, rearming, and reinvading.

World Reaction

A separate supplementary accord according to sources would grant the nation with a Nato-style security guarantee, in which any future "serious, intentional, and continuous armed attack" by the Russian Federation on Ukraine "will be treated as an act of war threatening the tranquility of the transatlantic community." This implies a defense action. But unlike a powerful Ukrainian military – the nation's primary defense against additional invasion – the effectiveness of the parallel accord would depend on the dedication of Nato leaders, like Trump, to act through arms to Russia's attacks, something they have {not