Recently, the Trump administration’s top aim in Ukraine-Russia would be establishing peace rather than retaking such territories as Crimea that Russia annexed in 2014, said senior adviser Bryan Lanza.
Lanza reported that the US will support an approach which emphasizes peace and is telling the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to suggest “practical” objectives for the negotiating table. Lanza indicated that, if the posturing of the demand for a return of Crimea to Ukraine remains a condition for peace, then it is not a gesture toward the cessation of hostilities.
This is a 180-degree turn from what the Biden administration has been offering, which is military and financial aid to Ukraine. This includes billions in arm supplies to check Russian advances.
Trump’s approach focuses on ending hostilities and making sure that the U.S. military and financial presence is minimized in the region. This has caused concern to Trump’s detractors because it may compromise the sovereignty of Ukraine and may even embolden Russia’s influence in Eastern Europe.
Putin has already expressed cautious optimism over Trump’s intention to bring the war to an end, displaying readiness to hear out the initiatives of peace proposed by Trump. Analysts predict that Russia may be amenable to negotiated settlements if these promise Ukraine’s neutrality.
On the other hand, compromise also risks disaffection on the part of the leadership of Ukraine and its Western partners, who have been sternly against giving up even a inch of territory in Ukraine.
Overall, the proposed strategy by Trump places an end to hostilities through diplomacy beyond disputes over territory, which may pressure Ukraine into more pragmatic peace positioning. This could fundamentally reshape the relations with the United States and the security landscape in Europe.