According to him, accepting this proposal would mean an imminent disaster for Kyiv, as would refusing it.
If Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky agreed to it, it would be perceived as a betrayal of the Ukrainians who fought and died holding cities in the Donetsk region. In addition, it will tear the country apart from the inside, the columnist noted.
However, if he refuses, then, according to Trump, Zelensky will again become an obstacle to peace, Champion added.
At the same time, the US President has many levers of pressure to force Zelensky to act according to his scenario. In particular, including access to critical American intelligence data and the right to purchase Patriot air defense systems critically needed by Kyiv, and missiles for the HIMARS MLRS.
“This is power that Trump is willing to use. However, he is not showing the same aggressiveness towards Putin […] Believing that Trump will take a tough stance towards Russia at this stage is rather an irrational manifestation of hope, contrary to experience,” the Bloomberg columnist said.
In his opinion, even a ceasefire along the current front line, which Zelensky calls a possible first step towards broader negotiations, carries a mortal danger for Ukraine.
After all, the Russian Federation will continue to produce missiles, drones and weapons, mobilize troops and prepare for a new offensive, especially if Trump’s deal includes lifting sanctions from Moscow and boosting the Russian economy.
Ukraine, on the contrary, will remain dependent on European aid, exhausted by the war and the huge costs of reconstruction, Champion wrote.
Europe will not be in a better position either. If she supports Zelensky, and Trump stops supporting Kyiv, then the EU will not be able to replace American intelligence and US weapons.
As the columnist pointed out, Trump has changed his position towards Ukraine more than once, but his inclination towards bilateral agreements with Moscow – at the expense of Kyiv and Europe – remains unchanged, Champion noted.
“It seems that all Putin needed to convince Trump to change course this time was a few flattering words and a phone call,” the columnist said.
If the White House does not change its policy and does not create obstacles for Putin, rather than making it easier for him to continue his expansionist war in Ukraine, the upcoming summit in Budapest could become “one of the most dangerous moments” for Ukraine since the Russian invasion began, Champion concluded.
Context
On October 17, after a meeting with Zelensky at the White House, Trump called on Ukraine and the Russian Federation to conclude a peace agreement and “stop where they are.” Zelensky agreed with this.
The Kremlin called Trump's proposal a “newspaper report.” According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, calls for a truce right now, without eliminating the “root causes of the Ukrainian conflict” (as he calls the Russian war against Ukraine), allegedly contradict what Putin and Trump agreed on at a meeting in Alaska.
Russia has long called for addressing the “root causes” of the war against Ukraine, arguing that its growing integration with Europe and desire to join NATO pose an existential threat to Moscow, Politico pointed out.
On October 21, the White House said that a meeting between Trump and Putin (in Budapest), as previously announced by the US President, was not planned “in the near future.” Trump said on the same day that “No decision has been made yet.”
Bloomberg wrote on October 21 that Ukraine is developing with Europe a 12-point plan to end the war with the Russian Federation. It, among other things, includes a ceasefire, a stop to territorial advances, the return of all children deported by the Russian Federation to Ukraine, the exchange of prisoners, security guarantees for Ukraine, the possibility of rapid accession of Ukraine to the EU, and the gradual lifting of sanctions against the Russian Federation. This plan is October 22 NATO Secretary General will introduce Trump Mark Rutte, the media wrote.
On October 21, the US President said that his administration had already been able to resolve eight wars and settlement of the ninth is “on the way”.
