Trump's team proposes controversial solution to Ukraine war
Advisors from President-elect Donald Trump's circle are advocating for a plan to "freeze" the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, reports the American "Newsweek." The plan also proposes creating a demilitarized zone over 1,200 kilometres long, to be overseen by European forces, reports the "Wall Street Journal."
"Newsweek" also noted Trump's earlier promises, where he repeatedly claimed he could resolve the conflict in Ukraine in a single day, though he did not specify how he would accomplish this.
At the beginning of November, "WSJ" reported that Trump's team is proposing the continued Russian occupation of 20% of Ukraine's territory, establishing a demilitarized zone over 1,200 kilometres long, and implementing a 20-year ban on Ukraine's attempts to join NATO.
This information was confirmed by the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, who stated on November 9th that Europe would take responsibility for securing the eastern flank and this demilitarized zone.
"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," said a member of Trump's team, quoted by "WSJ," who chose to remain anonymous. "We can do training and other support but the barrel of the gun is going to be European," they added.
"Newsweek" also quoted Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, who stated that a "peaceful settlement" means that "the current line of demarcation between Russia and Ukraine, that becomes like a demilitarized zone."
"Kyiv is unlikely to agree"
American strategist and former advisor to the commander-in-chief of Ukrainian forces, Dan Rice, emphasized in an interview with the magazine that "Kyiv was very unlikely to accept a short-term ceasefire, but that significant European forces along the Russian border with Ukraine were needed to stop Russia attempting to seize territory."
Meanwhile, analyst Karolina Hird from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) told Newsweek that the demilitarized zone would be on Putin's terms, and he would "simply use that as the front line for the next invasion of Ukraine in five, 10, 15 years, after his army has rested and reconstituted and institutionalized the lessons it is learning in Ukraine."
According to Hird, the zone would "almost legitimize the occupation" of parts of Ukraine, further tightening the Kremlin's grip on Ukrainians in those regions. - A DMZ would not end the war on anyone's terms other than Russia's - emphasized the ISW expert.
