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For a brief period, Trump seemed to embrace a strong position regarding Ukraine. After making warnings of "serious consequences" in August if Vladimir Putin continued obstructing truce discussions, Trump finally introduced major penalties on the Russian two largest energy firms, these major energy companies. This decision significantly impacted the Russian leader's ability to finance his military invasion in Ukraine.

Yet, via his recently unveiled comprehensive peace initiative for the conflict, reportedly created by US and Russian diplomats without Ukraine's or European participation, the former president has clearly gone back to his pro-Putin approach.

Rewarding Military Action

The former president's initiative would effectively benefit the Russian leader for invading a sovereign nation while placing Ukraine's political freedom in danger. Although bold statements that "The nation's sovereignty will be affirmed", significant aspects of the proposal actually undermine that very autonomy. This constitutes a Russian ideal would probably be a Ukrainian nightmare.

Demonstrating his corporate past, the former president continues to view the war as a simple territorial dispute, implying handing Russia a section of Ukraine's territory will appease the ruler. But, Putin's war is not only about controlling a charred region of deindustrialized land in Ukraine's east. Instead, it's about Ukraine's political system – and Putin's apparent desire to eliminate it so it no longer functions as an attractive model for the Russian citizens of the accountable governance that his growing dictatorship prevents them.

Territorial Surrenders

While maintaining in place the currently divided Ukrainian provinces of these areas, Trump's initiative would force the nation to surrender all of Donetsk region. In addition to favoring Russia with territory that its forces have been unsuccessful to capture in over a lengthy period of warfare, this concession would render Ukraine's military defenses dangerously weakened.

This region is the location of Ukraine's highly-touted "defensive line", the entrenched protective structures that constitute a critical barrier to invading forces. The proposal would have Ukraine leave these defenses, providing Russian forces a clear way to the capital in case he subsequently choose to renew the hostilities.

Armed Forces Restrictions

Additionally, in a step that would make additional hostilities simpler for the Russian military, the plan would require the nation to cut the size of its military from their existing large number troops to a limit of six hundred thousand. Significantly, the initiative places no such limits on the invading army.

Seemingly as a concession to Putin's efforts to characterize the nation's chosen by the people government as radicals, Trump's plan declares: "All extremist doctrine and practices must be condemned and forbidden." As if to highlight this point, it requires that "The nation will hold democratic votes in 100 days" of a peace deal. However, the proposal sets no requirement that the Russian leader risk his dictatorship by conducting votes in Russia.

Defense Commitments

Admittedly, the proposal includes the Russian Federation commit not to "attack other states" and to "enshrine in law its position of non-aggression towards European nations and Ukraine". But considering that the Russian leadership has breached comparable agreements in the past – for example the 1994 Budapest memorandum, in which the Russian government promised to recognize Ukraine's borders in exchange for relinquishing its historical nuclear weapons, and the 2014-2015 Minsk agreements, in which Moscow promised to a halt in fighting and a handback of captured territory in the region to Ukrainian control – for what reason should the international community have confidence in Putin on this occasion?

For this reason Ukraine has been so insistent on international security guarantees. Although the proposal promises a "decisive joint military response" in case the Russian Federation resume its aggression, and includes that "The nation will receive dependable security guarantees", the particulars include fuzzy to concerning. The proposal would not only prevent Ukraine alliance membership but also prevent alliance nations from deploying forces on the nation's land, effectively precluding the security presence, presumptively led by the UK and France, on which Ukraine had been counting to stop Putin from restoring his diminished troops, restocking, and attacking again.

International Response

An additional parallel deal reportedly would provide Ukraine with a Nato-style defense commitment, in which any later "major, deliberate, and ongoing military assault" by Russia on Ukraine "will be treated as an assault jeopardizing the tranquility of the Western nations." This indicates a military response. However in contrast to a capable Ukrainian military – Ukraine's best protection against additional hostilities – the success of the parallel accord would hinge on the dedication of Nato leaders, like the US administration, to act militarily to Russia's aggression, an action they have {not