Timothy Snyder outlines six reasons why Trump’s peace plan is dangerous for Ukraine
American historian and writer Timothy Snyder criticised Donald Trump’s peace plan, unveiled last week, in a column for the Polish newspaper Wyborcza.
According to Snyder, aside from the “outrageous injustice of the aggressor determining the outcome of the war he started,” the plan has six key problems:
- Risk of nuclear war: If Ukraine agrees to terms tantamount to surrender, other countries may conclude that nuclear weapons are necessary to deter potential aggressors.
- Undermining the international order: Rewarding Russia for attacking Ukraine would set a precedent, making invasions and armed conflicts the norm globally.
- Instability in the region: Ukraine’s capitulation could encourage Putin to continue military actions in Europe through legal, moral, psychological, and economic means.
- Lack of control mechanisms: Russia has already violated all previous agreements, so Kremlin promises and American security guarantees may prove futile. The plan also prohibits Ukraine from joining NATO, its only real safeguard.
- Violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty: The plan limits Kyiv’s ability to defend itself, join international alliances, and recover after the war.
- Exclusion of Ukraine from negotiations: The plan was created without Ukrainian participation and was likely dictated by Russia, leaving Ukrainians with only one choice—continue fighting.
Snyder stressed that Trump’s desire for the Nobel Peace Prize led to a rushed attempt at a settlement, which, if implemented, could spark a new conflict.
On 25 November, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a new meeting of the “Coalition of the Resolute,” at which participants plan to agree on further actions in the context of the war in Ukraine.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that the “Coalition of the Determined” had agreed on a peace plan for Ukraine, which is planned to be implemented by the end of 2025. Starmer emphasised that any peaceful agreement with Russia requires Ukraine’s consent.
