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Former President Donald Trump has been presented with a plan to end Russia's War In Ukraine, according to Reuters, that would involve telling Ukraine it would only get more weapons from the U.S. if Kyiv were to enter peace talks with Russia.
The Context
The war in Ukraine began in February 2022 when Russia launched an invasion of its western neighbor.
Since then, the U.S. has supported Ukraine with substantial aid and has condemned Russia's actions in Ukraine through various diplomatic, economic and military measures.
President Vladimir Putin is wanted in 123 countries for war crimes, after actions committed by Russia in the Ukraine war.
What We Know
Two of Trump's key advisors presented him with a plan to end the war in Ukraine, according to Reuters, that the former president could use if he wins reelection in November. The plan hinges on telling Ukraine it would only get more U.S. weapons if it enters into peace talks.
As part of the deal, the U.S. would warn Moscow that refusal to negotiate would result in increased support from the U.S. to Ukraine. This strategy was confirmed by retired Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg, who is one of Trump's national security advisors, in an interview with Reuters.
The plan was drawn up by Kellogg and Fred Fleitz, both of whom served as chiefs of staff in Trump's National Security Council while he was president.
"I'm not claiming he agreed with it or agreed with every word of it, but we were pleased to get the feedback we did," Fleitz told Reuters.
If the plan was to come into effect, it would see a ceasefire based on prevailing battle lines during peace talks.
Trump had previously stated that he could quickly settle the war in Ukraine if he were to beat President Joe Biden in the November election, but he has not shared a specific strategy.
Biden campaign spokesperson James Singer told Newsweek, "Donald Trump heaps praise on Vladimir Putin every chance he gets, and he's made clear he won't stand against Putin or stand up for democracy. He encouraged Russia to 'do whatever the hell they want' to our NATO allies, has praised Putin as 'genius' for launching his war, and openly stated he would try to force Ukraine to surrender to Putin."
He continued: "Donald Trump as president again means our allies will not be protected, democracy will be in peril, and the world will be less safe."
National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said, "President Biden's commitment to supporting Ukraine is clear. President Biden has built a global coalition of more than 50 countries that are supporting Ukraine as they defend their freedom and democracy against Russia's brutal, unprovoked invasion.
Watson continued that, "He just signed a historic bilateral security agreement with Ukraine, and he understands that the stronger Ukraine's position is on the battlefield, the stronger position they will be in at the negotiating table when that time comes."
Watson also told Newsweek that "President Biden believes that any decisions about negotiations are up to Ukraine. He will not force Ukraine to surrender its territory because he understands that if Vladimir Putin is allowed to conquer Ukraine and subjugate its people, the consequences would be severe."
Kellogg and Fleitz's plan would mark a significant shift in the U.S. position on the war and would likely face opposition from both European allies and members of the Republican Party.
Earlier this month, Trump criticized the scale of U.S. support, which at present has given an approximated $175 billion in aid to Ukraine since the war began. This amount includes military, economic and humanitarian aid.
At a campaign rally in Detroit on June 15, Trump called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy "the greatest salesman of all time."
When approached for comment on Kellogg and Fleitz's plan, Trump's Campaign Communications Director Steven Cheung told Newsweek that: "President Trump has repeatedly stated that a top priority in his second term will be to quickly negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war. President Trump believes European nations should be paying more of the cost of the conflict, as the U.S. has paid significantly more, which is not fair to our taxpayers."
Cheung continued, adding that "the war between Russia and Ukraine never would have happened if Donald J. Trump were President. So sad."
What's Next
Tensions between Russia and the West are escalating. Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's former president and deputy chairman of the security council recently told the U.S. to "tremble and shake" as he rejected talks on limiting nuclear firepower.
Russia has reportedly suffered over half a million casualties in the war to date, with Ukraine admitting to 30,000 casualties.
This came after President Vladimir Putin warned that the world was "close to the point of no return" as a result of the "selfishness and hypocrisy of Western countries."
Biden and Trump are scheduled to take part in a debate on June 27, where the war in Ukraine could be a topic of discussion.
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About the writer
Marni Rose McFall is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on internet trends, U.S. politics and ... Read more