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At first, Donald Trump seemed to adopt a resolute approach on the Ukrainian conflict. Following issuing threats of "serious consequences" last August in case Vladimir Putin carried on blocking ceasefire negotiations, he eventually introduced major sanctions on Russia's primary petroleum corporations, Rosneft and Lukoil. This move seriously hindered Putin's ability to support his military invasion in the region.

But, through his recently unveiled 28-point peace proposal for Ukraine, which was developed by American and Russian representatives lacking Ukrainian or European involvement, Trump has clearly returned to his Russia-friendly stance.

Rewarding Invasion

This plan would effectively benefit the Russian leader for invading Ukraine while putting Ukraine's political freedom in peril. Despite bold statements that "The nation's autonomy will be confirmed", much of the initiative in reality compromise that essential independence. This constitutes a Kremlin dream would likely be a catastrophe for the nation.

Reflecting his business background, the former president seems to consider the war as a mere land disagreement, like giving Putin a section of Ukraine's land will satisfy the leader. But, Russia's invasion is not only about dominating a charred swath of economically weakened territory in Ukraine's east. Instead, it's about Ukraine's democracy – and the Russian leader's apparent intention to weaken it so it ceases to acts as an enticing standard for the Russia's population of the democratic leadership that his increasing authoritarian rule withholds them.

Territorial Surrenders

While freezing in position the presently divided regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, the proposal would require the nation to give up the whole Donetsk region. Aside from favoring the Russian Federation with area that its military have been failed to occupy in exceeding a ten years of warfare, this concession would leave Ukraine's defenses severely weakened.

The area is the site of Ukraine's much-vaunted "fortress belt", the entrenched military defenses that are a essential obstacle to invading forces. Trump would have the Ukrainian military abandon these fortifications, giving Putin a clear route to Kyiv if he eventually opt to restart the conflict.

Defense Restrictions

Additionally, in a step that would enable renewed hostilities easier for Russia, Trump would require Ukraine to cut the numbers of its armed forces from their existing 800,000 to 850,000 personnel to a cap of six hundred thousand. Importantly, the proposal sets no such restrictions on Russian forces.

Apparently as a concession to Russia's attempts to characterize Ukraine's chosen by the people administration as radicals, the plan declares: "All extremist belief system and actions must be condemned and banned." As if to highlight this point, it requires that "The nation will hold democratic votes in 100 days" of a truce. Meanwhile, Trump places no condition that Putin endanger his authoritarian rule by allowing votes in his own country.

Protection Guarantees

Certainly, the plan has Russia pledge not to "attack other states" and to "enshrine in legislation its stance of peaceful relations towards the EU and the Ukrainian people". However taking into account that the Russian leadership has violated comparable treaties in the previous instances – such as the Budapest accord, in which the Russian government promised to honor Ukraine's sovereignty in return for relinquishing its historical nuclear arsenal, and the 2014-2015 Minsk agreements, in which Moscow committed to a truce and a restoration of occupied land in the Donbas to Kyiv – for what reason should the international community trust Russia on this occasion?

For this reason Ukraine has been so insistent on western defense commitments. Although the initiative threatens a "decisive unified armed reaction" should the Russian Federation renew its invasion, and includes that "The nation will receive strong security guarantees", the details vary from unclear to alarming. The proposal would not only block the nation Nato membership but also prevent alliance nations from stationing forces on Ukrainian territory, thus precluding the reassurance force, presumptively led by Britain and France, on which Ukraine had been counting to prevent Russia from replenishing his weakened forces, re-equipping, and reinvading.

Global Reaction

An additional parallel deal reportedly would grant the nation with a similar to NATO defense commitment, in which any future "significant, deliberate, and continuous armed attack" by Russia on Ukraine "will be treated as an attack threatening the peace and security of the Western nations." This implies a defense action. Yet unlike a capable Ukraine's armed forces – Ukraine's primary defense against additional invasion – the success of the supplementary deal would depend on the commitment of alliance members, such as Trump, to respond through arms to Putin's aggression, something they have {not