Trump advised to freeze war in Ukraine, but has yet to make decision – WSJ

Donald Trump's advisers have presented him with many options for ending the Ukrainian issue, all of which entail freezing the conflict or quitting NATO and providing financial help to Ukraine. The US president-elect has not yet made a choice and has not authorised any peace plan, but his former employees believe he will make a decision on his own. Source: The Wall Street Journal

Details: Throughout his campaign, Trump criticised Biden's Ukraine stance. He stated that he could end the problem swiftly by bringing both parties to the negotiating table, but he did not specify how he would do it.

In fact, his aides believe Trump has yet to adopt a precise peace plan, including how he will persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to sit down together and negotiate. Although the experts provided suggestions, only Trump, after talking with senior aides, will determine how to conduct delicate and responsible diplomacy.

As with Trump's first term, numerous factions will vie for dominance over foreign policy. More traditional-minded allies, like Mike Pompeo, the former secretary of state who is now vying for Pentagon chief, are expected to advocate for a resolution that appears to give Moscow little advantage.

Other aides, such Richard Grenell, the leading candidate for State Department head or national security adviser, may prioritise Trump's desire to end the war as soon as possible, even if it means pressuring Kyiv to make considerable sacrifices. All suggestions differ from Biden's approach in that they universally recommend stopping the war, cementing Russia's acquisition of nearly 20% of Ukraine's territory and forcing Ukraine to temporarily suspend its desire to join NATO.

One of the options suggested in Trump's transition office, as reported by three persons close to the recently elected president, recommends that Ukraine will pledge not to join NATO for at least 20 years. In exchange, the US will continue to supply Ukraine with armaments to deter future Russian attacks. According to this concept, the front line would be locked in place, and both sides would agree to a demilitarised zone stretching about 1300 kilometres.

It remains uncertain who will guard the territory, although one expert has stated that the peacekeeping force will not involve US troops or come from a US-funded international organisation, such as the United Nations. Quote of Trump's team member: "We can do training and other support but the barrel of the gun is going to be European. We are not sending American men and women to uphold peace in Ukraine.

And we are not paying for it. Get the Poles, Germans, British and French to do it." Earlier, Trump was provided with a plan that called for the cessation of weapons supply to Ukraine until Kyiv agreed to peace talks with Russia.

Ukraine may yet try to reclaim the lost land, but this will need international diplomacy. It is yet unknown whether Trump will execute any of these strategies in full, in part, or at all. Such proposals will face strong opposition from some of the US allies in NATO, who consider Russia's assault against Ukraine as an urgent threat to their countries, as well as in Ukraine, where territorial concessions will be interpreted as surrender to Russia.

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