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https://theconversation.com/how-the-trump-administration-tried-to-sell-ukraine-a-diplomatic-debacle-270561>
"A flurry of recent diplomatic activity has seen two competing peace plans for
Ukraine emerge.
The first, widely touted as a US plan, was apparently hashed out between
Kremlin insider Kirill Dmitriev and Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s
Russia point-man.
The second, hurriedly drafted by the United Kingdom, France and Germany, is
based on the 28 points in the US plan, but with key modifications and
deletions.
Following the release of the US plan, Trump accused Ukraine of showing “zero
gratitude” for US assistance in the war effort, and demanded Kyiv accept the
terms by Thanksgiving in the United States – November 27 – or face being cut
off from US intelligence sharing and military aid.
Unlike the US plan, the European counter-proposal places the blame for the war
squarely at Russia’s feet. It proposes freezing Russian assets until
reparations are made by Moscow. It also seeks to freeze the conflict in place,
leaving the question of which party retains which part of Ukraine contingent on
subsequent negotiations.
Speaking about the peace proposals, European Commission President Ursula von
der Leyen made it clear the European Union was committed to several key
positions:
* that Ukraine’s borders cannot be altered by force
* there cannot be limitations on Ukraine’s armed forces that would leave it
vulnerable, and
* the EU needed to have a seat at the table in any agreement.
Comparing the two plans, it is clear Russia and Europe remain as far apart as
ever on Ukraine’s future. That much is unsurprising.
What should be more shocking to Western observers is just how much the US plan
echoed Russian demands that have remained largely unaltered since President
Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
