 "US President Donald Trump shouts at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during their interaction with the press at the White House in Washington, DC, on February 28, 2025. Reuters File")
With his ‘final offer’ to end the war, US President Donald Trump has shoved impossible demands on Ukraine.
Understandably, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected the offer.
In the seven-point document, Trump had essentially sought Ukraine’s surrender to Russia.
The document was the latest display of the changed global alignments under Trump. While he had always been friendly with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, he has completely aligned the United States with Russia in his second by breaking off from Western alliances and partnerships. As a result, in the name of ending the war, whereas he has consistently pressured Ukraine —by often resorting to falsehoods— he has not put any pressure on aggressor Russia.
In their disastrous meeting at the White House in which Trump and his deputy JD Vance took turns to berate Zelenskyy, one of the things that apparently ticked Trump was that Zelenskyy did not talk nicely about Putin. After Zelenskyy said that Putin started the war and that he “hates” Ukraine, Trump chastised him and said that “it’s wonderful to speak badly about somebody else, but I want to get it solved”.
Trump’s proposal has everything for Russia, nothing for Ukraine
In the seven-point ceasefire proposal reported by The Daily Telegraph, there is little to nothing for Ukraine but almost everything that Russia wants.
In the first point, Trump proposed an immediate ceasefire.
Last month, Ukraine accepted a US-endorsed proposal for a 30-day ceasefire but Russia rejected it. Ukraine also accepted US-endorsed proposals for ceasefire in the Black Sea and ceasefire related to energy infrastructure. Russia did not accept any of these proposals.
In the second point, Trump proposed direct talks between Ukraine and Russia.
In the third point, Trump rules out Ukraine’s membership of Nato.
However, Trump leaves room for Ukraine to join the European Union (EU). He also leaves room for Europe to deploy any peacekeeping force in Ukraine.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsIn the fourth —a deal-breaker for Ukraine— point, Trump proposes US legal recognition of Crimea, a region of Ukraine that Russia invaded, captured, and annexed in 2014.
In the fifth point, Trump proposes US de facto recognition of four regions of Ukraine that Russia has annexed. These regions are Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia.
In offerings to Ukraine that mean little in the larger scheme of things, Trump has proposed that Ukraine would regain unhindered access to the mouth of the Dnipro river and Russia would vacate the partially occupied Kherson province.
In the sixth point, Trump has proposed the signing of US-Ukraine minerals deal.
In the seventh point, Trump has proposed a new US-Russia relationship by lifting all sanctions on Russia and resuming economic and political ties.
‘It’s harder to deal with Zelenskyy’
Trump on Wednesday said that he believes he has a deal with Russia but dealing with Zelenskyy is “harder”.
Trump accused Zelenskyy of being “inflammatory”.
Trump further said, “I thought it might be easier to deal with Zelensky. So far, it’s harder.”
Trump’s remarks came days after Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the Trump administration would end mediation if it would conclude within days that a deal to end the war soon is not possible.
Rubio was supposed to join his counterparts from Ukraine and Europe in a meeting on Wednesday, but he cancelled it after Zelenskyy rejected the proposal.
On his part, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine’s constitution does not allow either the government or parliament to cede territory as Trump has demanded.
Regarding the proposal, Zelenskyy said: “There is nothing to talk about. This violated our Constitution. This is our territory, the territory of Ukraine.”