Cal Thomas: We lose, they win
In a stark contrast to the assertive stance of President Ronald Reagan during the Cold War, President Trump’s approach to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine seems to lean towards a troubling narrative of capitulation. In 1988, Reagan famously stated his goal was “we win, they lose,” encapsulating a firm commitment to defeating adversaries. Fast forward to today, Trump’s peace proposal for Ukraine appears to echo a sentiment of “we lose, they win,” as he pressures Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to accept terms that many believe align closely with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s agenda. Reports suggest that Trump’s proposal, which he has given Zelenskyy until Thanksgiving to consider, could have been drafted from a Russian perspective, raising concerns about its authenticity and intentions.
The proposed 28-point peace plan demands significant concessions from Ukraine, including the surrender of the Eastern Donbas region and Crimea—territories that have been fiercely contested since Russia’s annexation in 2014. Furthermore, the plan stipulates that Ukraine must forgo NATO membership while vaguely assuring a “security” force to deter further Russian aggression. Critics argue that such terms would not only legitimize Russia’s territorial gains but also embolden Putin to pursue further expansionist ambitions in Eastern Europe. The proposal has been characterized as a capitulation to Putin’s demands, with suggestions that it could mirror a historical surrender akin to the signing of documents that ended World War II.
In light of these developments, the response from the Biden administration has been somewhat ambiguous. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the plan as a reflection of the “realities of the situation” after years of conflict, hinting at an acknowledgment of U.S. involvement in crafting the proposal. The lack of reciprocal military restrictions on Russia, coupled with vague assurances regarding Ukraine’s future security, raises serious questions about the efficacy of such an agreement. As the U.S. and Ukraine reportedly work on modifying the draft, the overarching concern remains whether any peace deal can genuinely satisfy both parties without compromising Ukraine’s sovereignty and security. The potential implications of this proposal could not only reshape the future of Ukraine but also set a dangerous precedent for international relations and the behavior of authoritarian regimes worldwide.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cp-AK8ETdg
In 1988, when President Ronald Reagan was asked by a reporter during the summit in Moscow what his goal was in the Cold War, he
said
: “we win, they lose.”
When it comes to today’s Russia and its unprovoked war with Ukraine, President Trump’s goal at least in practice and outcome appears to be “we lose, they win.”
The president has given Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy until Thanksgiving Day to
accept
his “peace proposal” which reads as if it could have been written by Vladimir Putin. In fact, according to news reports, it may have been. According to the
NY Post
, “Secretary of State Marco Rubio told US senators Saturday that the sweeping peace plan to end the nearly four-year war between Russia and Ukraine was not America’s — but merely a ‘leaked’ Russian ‘wish list.”
Maybe so, but it seems to align with the one-sided pressure Trump has put on Zelenskyy to settle the war since he took office. Trump said Saturday the proposal is not his “
final offer.
”
If the document is from the administration, it is capitulation to most of Putin’s demands and is an invitation for the dictator to continue pursuing his stated goal of re-taking all of the former Soviet satellite countries, which have been free and independent since the end of the Cold War.
According to a draft of the proposal shared publicly by a member of the Ukraine opposition party, the 28-point document would require Ukraine to surrender its Eastern Donbas region, as well as Crimea, the latter of which no previous administration has demanded since Putin invaded Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula. It also would require Ukraine to forgo NATO membership, though it does loosely promise a “security” force, presumably to prevent Putin from gobbling up more territory. If Zelinskyy bows to U.S. pressure and accepts a deal forced upon him, we might as well get the U.S.S. Missouri out of mothballs and replicate the signing of surrender documents by the Japanese, ending World War II.
In a statement to CBS News, White House press secretary
Karoline Leavitt
said: “This plan was crafted to reflect the realities of the situation, after five years of a devastating war, to find the best win-win scenario, where both parties gain more than they must give.” That sounds like an admission the document came from us.
Among the
provisions
in the proposed deal is that Russia would be allowed to keep much of the territory it now occupies and even take over land Ukraine currently holds, along with regions of Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk. These would be recognized by the U.S. as de facto Russia territory. Any bets on how long it would take Putin to swallow whole these regions into greater Russia?
The plan creates a neutral “buffer zone” with no Russian forces allowed. Again, place your bets on how long that will last?
Zelenskyy will be required to cap the size of his military (there is no similar requirement for Russia) and promise not to become a NATO member, but it can join the European Union. Does anyone expect the EU to mount a significant resistance should Putin choose to violate the agreement and especially if he invades other countries as he has promised to do to restore the old Soviet satellite countries? It may be the only promise he has ever kept.
There is so much potential for Russia to violate the proposed agreement and so little effective response outlined if it does. These include more sanctions which so far have not worked.
Putin has always had a goal in the war he started, but the U.S. and Europe have vacillated about ours. This proposed peace deal will only encourage vile dictators like Putin. President Trump likes to say he wants to end wars. This agreement will only encourage Putin’s voracious appetite to start new ones as well as eventually finish the one against Ukraine.
Late Sunday, the U.S. and Ukraine
reportedly
agreed to change the draft of the peace plan, but the key is whether Putin will agree to anything that won’t give him everything he wants.
Readers may email Cal Thomas at
tcaeditors@tribpub.com
. Look for Cal Thomas’ latest book “A Watchman in the Night: What I’ve Seen Over 50 Years Reporting on America” (HumanixBooks).
