Trump’s plan includes war freeze, economic pressure on Putin and Ukraine’s non-membership in NATO - FT
US presidential candidate Donald Trump has outlined a plan to end the war in Ukraine. In it, Ukraine does not join NATO, and Putin is put under economic pressure.
As Censor.NET informs, the Financial Times writes about it.
Freezing the war
Thus, Trump's concept may be "a rethinking of the failed Minsk agreements of 2014 and 2015, which were intended to end the fighting in eastern Ukraine." One of Trump's advisors said that these agreements outlined a plan to preserve Ukraine's territorial integrity with the establishment of autonomous zones, but the conditions were never implemented or enforced.
This time, the advisor says, there will be enforcement mechanisms with consequences for violating the agreement. European troops, not NATO forces or UN peacekeepers, should monitor compliance.
Trump's allies argue that Ukraine is losing the war, so it is morally right to insist on a settlement.
According to Trump, Joe Biden should talk to Russian dictator Putin, as presidents used to do with Soviet leaders during the Cold War. At the same time, he believes that Ukraine's membership in NATO is not an option in the short term.
Without NATO membership
NATO membership can be ruled out for a few years to force Russia to negotiate.
"We freeze the conflict, Ukraine doesn't give up any territory, they don't give up their territorial claims, and we negotiate with the understanding that there probably won't be a final agreement until Putin is off the stage," said Fred Fleitz, who worked in the first Trump administration.
At the same time, this approach will not find unanimous support in the Republican Party, the FT writes.
Negotiations with dictator Putin
Mike Waltz, who is one of the leading Republican national security experts in the House of Representatives, suggests that Trump may use the threat of a collapse of the Russian economy due to lower oil and gas prices.
"The president understands very well what leverage is, and we have enormous economic leverage over Russia. The first step will be, in his words: "Storm, baby, stomrs. You will flood the world with cheaper and cleaner American oil and gas. You will bring down the price," he explained.
It is noted that Saudi Arabia, an important ally of Trump in his first term, will not welcome such a move.
However, people close to Trump claim that he will be able to put serious economic pressure on Putin. As an example, they cite the Abraham Accords signed in his first term between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan.
"He showed that he knows how to bring both sides to the negotiating table. He has done this consistently. The next ones will be Arabs and Israelis, Russians and Ukrainians," said American diplomat Richard Grenell.
