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For a brief period, Donald Trump gave the impression to embrace a resolute approach concerning Ukraine. After issuing threats of "severe ramifications" last August should Putin continued blocking peace talks, Trump finally introduced major restrictions on Russia's biggest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil. This action seriously impacted the Russian leader's capability to finance his aggression in Ukraine.

However, via his latest 28-point peace plan for the conflict, which was created by US and Russian representatives without Ukraine's or European involvement, Trump has clearly reverted to his favorable to Russia stance.

Rewarding Invasion

This plan would essentially reward the Russian leader for attacking Ukraine while placing the country's political freedom in jeopardy. Despite ringing proclamations that "Ukraine's independence will be upheld", large portions of the plan effectively compromise that essential autonomy. Seen as a Kremlin dream would certainly be a disaster for Ukraine.

Showing his real-estate experience, the former president continues to consider the war as a simple territorial dispute, like handing Russia a portion of Ukrainian land will please the leader. But, Putin's war is not only about dominating a damaged area of deindustrialized territory in the Donbas region. Instead, it's about Ukraine's democratic governance – and the Russian leader's clear goal to destroy it so it no longer acts as an appealing standard for the Russian citizens of the responsible government that Putin's deepening autocracy withholds them.

Border Giveaways

While freezing in position the currently separated regions of these areas, the plan would force the nation to surrender all of Donetsk region. Aside from favoring the Russian Federation with territory that its troops have been unsuccessful to capture in over a decade of conflict, this giveaway would leave Ukraine's defensive positions dangerously compromised.

This region is the site of Ukraine's highly-touted "defensive line", the fortified protective structures that are a essential impediment to Russian advances. The proposal would have Ukraine leave these fortifications, leaving Putin a unobstructed route to the capital if he eventually choose to restart the war.

Armed Forces Restrictions

Additionally, in a action that would facilitate future fighting easier for the Russian military, the plan would require Ukraine to cut the scale of its armed forces from their present approximately 800,000 soldiers to a limit of six hundred thousand. Importantly, the initiative sets no equivalent restrictions on the invading army.

Apparently as a accommodation to Russia's campaign to portray the nation's chosen by the people government as extremists, the plan declares: "Every Nazi belief system and practices must be condemned and banned." Apparently to underscore this point, it insists that "The nation will hold political contests in 100 days" of a ceasefire agreement. At the same time, Trump sets no obligation that the Russian leader jeopardize his authoritarian rule by conducting elections in Russia.

Defense Guarantees

Admittedly, the proposal has the Russian Federation commit not to "enter other states" and to "establish in law its policy of peaceful relations towards the EU and the Ukrainian people". But given that the Russian leadership has breached equivalent accords in the previous instances – for example the Budapest accord, in which the Russian government pledged to honor the nation's borders in exchange for giving up its Soviet-era nuclear arsenal, and the previous peace deals, in which Russia agreed to a halt in fighting and a restoration of captured territory in the Donbas to Kyiv – how should anyone have confidence in Putin this time?

For this reason Ukraine has been so determined on western protection assurances. Although the plan warns of a "immediate unified defense action" should the Russian Federation renew its invasion, and states that "The nation will receive dependable defense commitments", the particulars range from fuzzy to alarming. The proposal would not just deny the nation accession to NATO but also preclude member states from stationing forces on Ukrainian territory, thereby blocking the reassurance force, presumptively headed by European powers, on which Ukraine had been depending to prevent Russia from restoring his weakened troops, rearming, and reinvading.

International Response

An additional supplementary accord apparently would offer Ukraine with a Nato-style defense commitment, in which any future "significant, planned, and ongoing military assault" by Russia on Ukraine "would be considered as an assault jeopardizing the peace and security of the Western nations." This indicates a armed reaction. Yet in contrast to a capable Ukraine's armed forces – the nation's most reliable deterrent against additional hostilities – the success of the supplementary deal would hinge on the commitment of alliance members, such as the US administration, to respond with force to Putin's aggression, an action they have {not