Trump’s 28-Point Ukraine Plan Would Reward Russian Aggression Commentary
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Trump’s 28-Point Ukraine Plan Would Reward Russian Aggression
Edited by: JURIST Staff
The author, the Founding Chief Prosecutor for the UN Special Court for Sierra Leone, argues that Trump's proposed 25-point peace plan for Ukraine is not a blueprint for stability but a capitulation to Russian aggression that echoes the failed appeasement policies of the 1930s...

Once again, the US is politically meddling with the conflict in Ukraine. The back-and-forth of Washington’s destabilizing efforts to bring “peace” to the country is a blatant attempt to secure the Nobel Peace Prize for President Donald Trump, whose proposed 28‑point “peace plan” for Ukraine is not a blueprint for stability but a capitulation to Russian aggression. At its core, the plan recognizes Vladimir Putin’s territorial claims, disarms Ukraine, and undermines NATO’s credibility. Far from ending the war, it legitimizes conquest and emboldens tyranny.

Legitimizing Aggression

The plan’s cornerstone is the recognition of Russia’s control over Crimea and parts of eastern Ukraine. By codifying Moscow’s illegal annexations, it rewrites international law in Putin’s favor. History shows that rewarding aggression only invites more of it.

Disarming the Victim

Ukraine would be forced to reduce its military capacity, leaving it vulnerable to future incursions. This is not peace—it is surrender. A nation stripped of its defenses cannot safeguard its sovereignty, and Russia has already demonstrated its willingness to exploit weakness.

Weakening NATO

By restricting NATO’s presence and cooperation with Ukraine, the plan signals to Moscow that the alliance will not stand firmly behind Kyiv. This fractures Western unity and undermines the credibility of collective defense, one of the pillars of post‑World War II security. This is part of Putin’s strategic hope: that NATO and Europe over time will give up and move on.

False Equivalence

The plan treats Russia and Ukraine as equal parties in a dispute rather than aggressor and victim. This moral equivalence erases the reality of Russia’s invasion, atrocities and war crimes. It shifts blame from the perpetrator to the target, a classic feature of appeasement. Hitler used this tactic successfully in the late 1930s.

Empty Guarantees

Promises of Russian restraint are unenforceable. Moscow has already violated the Budapest Memorandum and the Minsk Accords. To believe that Putin would honor new guarantees is to ignore his record of duplicity. Putin will strike again against Ukraine and even Moldova and Georgia.

Strategic Victory for Moscow

If enacted, the plan would hand Russia territorial, military and political victories without accountability. It would cement Putin’s gains, destabilize Europe, and embolden other authoritarian regimes to pursue similar strategies of conquest. Putin can tell Russian citizens that he was right all along.

The Lesson of History

This plan is not peace—it is appeasement. It echoes the failed bargains of the 1930s, when democracies sought to placate aggressors rather than confront them. The lesson is clear: appeasement in the face of tyranny never works.

As Winston Churchill warned:

An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.

David M. Crane is the Founding Chief Prosecutor for the UN Special Court for Sierra Leone. He is also the founder of the Global Accountability Network.

 

Opinions expressed in JURIST Commentary are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JURIST's editors, staff, donors or the University of Pittsburgh.
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