President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly crafting a peace plan for Ukraine that would involve deploying European troops to enforce a buffer zone along the current front line. According to sources cited by the Telegraph, the plan would freeze the front lines, halting active combat while avoiding U.S. military involvement.
European Troops to Secure Buffer Zone
Trump’s proposal includes creating a 1,200-kilometer buffer zone within Ukraine, where British, Polish, German, and French troops would act as peacekeepers. American troops would remain uninvolved in direct enforcement, with Trump’s team asserting that “the barrel of the gun is going to be European.” Additionally, the U.S. would provide weaponry to Ukraine to prevent Russia from reigniting conflict, ensuring Ukraine’s self-defense without direct American military presence.
NATO Membership Freeze
As part of the peace framework, Ukraine would agree to delay its NATO membership aspirations for two decades, effectively cooling tensions with Russia. Trump’s sources suggest this condition would be essential for securing Russia’s cooperation in maintaining peace. The plan is aimed at swiftly ending hostilities and solidifying a stable truce, which Trump has promised to achieve quickly.
Mixed Reactions from Russia and Ukraine
While Ukraine remains firm on reclaiming all territories lost since 2014, including Crimea and Donbas, Trump’s strategy diverges by proposing a “freeze” that could potentially leave occupied regions in Russia’s control. Russia, while “ready to listen” to Trump’s ideas, indicated that a simple solution remains unlikely.
With his impending return to office, Trump’s peace plan introduces new dimensions to the conflict as Ukraine’s leadership weighs its future amid uncertain diplomatic shifts.
