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For a brief period, Donald Trump seemed to take a strong stance concerning Ukraine. After making warnings of "severe consequences" during the summer should Vladimir Putin continued blocking ceasefire discussions, Trump eventually imposed substantial penalties on Russia's primary oil companies, these major energy companies. This decision seriously hindered Putin's ability to support his military invasion in the region.

Yet, with his latest 28-point peace proposal for Ukraine, which was drafted by both nations' officials without Ukraine's or European participation, the former president has apparently gone back to his Russia-friendly stance.

Benefiting Invasion

The former president's plan would effectively reward the Russian leader for invading a sovereign nation while placing Ukraine's democratic system in danger. Although ringing declarations that "The nation's independence will be upheld", large portions of the plan actually weaken that essential autonomy. What represents a Kremlin dream would likely be a catastrophe for the nation.

Demonstrating his business experience, the former president persists to consider the Ukrainian conflict as a basic border issue, like giving Russia a section of Ukrainian territory will satisfy the leader. Yet, Putin's war is not simply about dominating a damaged area of economically weakened area in Ukraine's east. Rather, it is about Ukraine's political system – and Putin's obvious goal to eliminate it so it ceases to functions as an enticing standard for the Russian citizens of the responsible government that his increasing authoritarian rule prevents them.

Land Concessions

While maintaining in place the presently divided regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, the plan would force Ukraine to give up all of this eastern territory. In addition to benefiting Russia with territory that its forces have been unsuccessful to occupy in over a lengthy period of fighting, this giveaway would make Ukraine's military defenses severely compromised.

This region is the place of Ukraine's highly-touted "defensive line", the well-established protective structures that are a essential impediment to enemy progress. Trump would have the Ukrainian military surrender these defenses, providing Putin a open route to the capital if he subsequently choose to renew the hostilities.

Defense Restrictions

Then, in a action that would enable additional fighting simpler for the Russian military, the plan would force Ukraine to diminish the size of its armed forces from their present 800,000 to 850,000 personnel to a maximum of this lower number. Notably, Trump's plan sets no such restrictions on Russian forces.

In what appears as a concession to Putin's efforts to portray Ukraine's chosen by the people government as radicals, Trump's proposal states: "Every Nazi ideology and actions must be opposed and prohibited." As if to highlight this element, it requires that "The nation will hold democratic votes in 100 days" of a peace deal. Meanwhile, Trump sets no obligation that the Russian leader endanger his regime by allowing votes in Russia.

Defense Guarantees

To be sure, the proposal makes Russia commit not to "attack bordering nations" and to "establish in legislation its position of non-aggression towards European nations and Ukraine". Yet taking into account that the Russian leadership has broken comparable agreements in the previous instances – for example the 1994 agreement, in which Russia promised to honor Ukraine's borders in return for surrendering its former Soviet nuclear arsenal, and the previous peace deals, in which Russia committed to a truce and a restoration of captured territory in the region to Kyiv – how should we trust Russia now?

That is why Ukraine has been so adamant on international protection assurances. Although the plan threatens a "strong unified defense action" in case the Russian Federation restart its military campaign, and states that "Ukraine will receive strong security guarantees", the particulars vary from vague to concerning. The plan would not just deny Ukraine Nato membership but also prohibit member states from deploying military personnel on Ukraine's soil, thereby blocking the security presence, presumptively headed by European powers, on which the Ukrainian government had been relying to stop Russia from restoring his reduced troops, re-equipping, and reinvading.

International Concern

Another parallel deal according to sources would grant Ukraine with a alliance-like protection assurance, in which any later "serious, deliberate, and sustained military assault" by Russia on the country "would be considered as an act of war jeopardizing the tranquility of the transatlantic community." That suggests a armed reaction. But unlike a capable Ukraine's armed forces – the nation's most reliable protection against future Russian aggression – the credibility of the supplementary deal would rely on the dedication of Western powers, including Trump, to act with force to Russia's hostilities, an action they have {not