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For a brief period, Trump appeared to take a resolute approach regarding the Ukrainian conflict. After making statements of "serious repercussions" during the summer in case Russia's president persisted blocking ceasefire discussions, Trump eventually introduced major sanctions on Russia's two largest oil companies, these major energy companies. This move substantially hindered Putin's capability to finance his military invasion in Ukraine.

However, through his newly presented comprehensive peace initiative for the conflict, which was drafted by US and Russian representatives without Ukrainian or European participation, Trump has apparently gone back to his Russia-friendly approach.

Rewarding Military Action

Trump's initiative would in practice favor the Russian leader for invading a sovereign nation while putting the country's democratic system in jeopardy. Although strong statements that "Ukraine's autonomy will be confirmed", significant aspects of the initiative actually compromise that very autonomy. Seen as a Kremlin dream would probably be a Ukrainian nightmare.

Showing his business past, Trump persists to consider the Ukrainian conflict as a simple territorial dispute, as if handing Russia a portion of Ukrainian territory will appease the ruler. But, Putin's war is not only about controlling a charred area of economically weakened territory in eastern Ukraine. Rather, it is about Ukraine's political system – and Putin's clear intention to weaken it so it stops functions as an attractive model for the Russia's population of the accountable government that his deepening autocracy withholds them.

Territorial Giveaways

While maintaining in status the currently separated regions of these areas, the proposal would force Ukraine to abandon the entire Donetsk province. In addition to benefiting Russia with territory that its troops have been unable to seize in over a ten years of warfare, this giveaway would leave Ukraine's defensive positions dangerously compromised.

The area is the site of Ukraine's highly-touted "stronghold system", the entrenched military defenses that constitute a key barrier to enemy progress. The proposal would have Ukraine leave these positions, providing Russian forces a clear way to the capital in case he eventually choose to resume the conflict.

Defense Restrictions

Then, in a move that would make renewed fighting easier for Russia, Trump would require Ukraine to reduce the numbers of its troops from their present large number personnel to a limit of 600,000. Significantly, Trump's plan places no equivalent restrictions on Russian forces.

Apparently as a concession to Putin's attempts to characterize Ukraine's democratically elected administration as radicals, Trump's plan states: "Any Nazi ideology and practices must be opposed and banned." Apparently to emphasize this point, it insists that "The nation will hold political contests in 100 days" of a ceasefire agreement. Meanwhile, the proposal imposes no requirement that the Russian leader risk his dictatorship by holding democratic processes in Russia.

Security Assurances

Admittedly, the initiative makes the Russian Federation promise not to "attack bordering nations" and to "incorporate in legislation its position of peaceful relations towards Europe and the Ukrainian people". However given that the Russian leadership has broken similar agreements in the previous instances – such as the Budapest accord, in which Russia promised to recognize the nation's sovereignty in exchange for relinquishing its former Soviet nuclear arsenal, and the previous peace deals, in which Russia promised to a truce and a return of captured areas in the Donbas to the government – how should we have confidence in Russia now?

That is why Ukraine has been so determined on external defense commitments. Although the initiative threatens a "strong joint military response" in case Russia restart its aggression, and states that "Ukraine will receive dependable security guarantees", the specifics vary from unclear to troubling. The initiative would not just deny Ukraine Nato membership but also prevent member states from deploying military personnel on the nation's land, effectively precluding the peacekeeping contingent, presumptively commanded by the UK and France, on which Ukraine had been counting to deter Putin from restoring his diminished forces, rearming, and reinvading.

International Concern

An additional supplementary accord according to sources would offer Ukraine with a Nato-style defense commitment, in which any future "major, planned, and sustained military assault" by the Russian Federation on Ukraine "shall be regarded as an attack threatening the peace and security of the Western nations." This indicates a defense action. But in contrast to a capable national defense – the nation's most reliable protection against additional Russian aggression – the credibility of the parallel accord would hinge on the commitment of alliance members, including the US administration, to react militarily to Putin's hostilities, something they have {not