If he returns to the White House, Donald Trump intends to end the war in Ukraine by "freezing" it and shifting the responsibility for peace to European countries. His plan includes the creation of autonomous and demilitarized zones on both sides of the Ukrainian-Russian border, but without Ukraine joining NATO. European states would become the guarantors of peace, while the involvement of the United States and NATO would be minimized.
This was reported by The Financial Times.
Trump's advisors point out that America should not bear the financial burden of peacekeeping. Also, Trump plans to exclude the participation of American peacekeepers and funding, believing that Europe should take the main responsibility for resolving the conflict in Ukraine, the article notes.
After the pressure Trump put on allies during his first term, most NATO members increased their defense spending. But the new plan would put an even greater burden on Europe, especially Germany and France, given their economic power and trade surplus with the United States.
Trump's Western allies believe that a quick resolution of the conflict is morally justified. It is assumed that the question of Ukraine's membership in NATO will be temporarily postponed in order to force Russia to negotiate. However, this initiative does not have unanimous support among Republicans, who fear that concessions in Ukraine could weaken the U.S. position toward China.
The Wall Street Journal also notes that Elon Musk's ties to the Russian president could be an important factor in Trump's plans. Musk, known for his support of Trump, could potentially act as an unofficial mediator in negotiations between the US and Russia on the terms of ending the war in Ukraine.
Author: Danylo Pievchev