Donald Trump's advisers are privately presenting proposals to end the war in Ukraine that would include ceding large swaths of territory to Russia in the near future.
This is what the Reuters news agency claims, which analyzes statements and interviews of people close to the elected president.
The proposals from 3 key advisers, including the special envoy for Russia and Ukraine, retired General Keith Kellog, have several elements in common, including taking Kiev's NATO membership off the table. The advisers would try to force Moscow and Kiev to negotiate through a strategy of carrots and sticks, including cutting off military aid to Kiev if it refuses to talk, or increasing support if Russian President Putin refuses.
Kellogg's plan, drafted in collaboration with former national security council official Fred Fleitz and presented to Trump earlier this year, calls for a freeze on current battlefield borders and provides security guarantees for Kiev, including arms supplies. , if you accept the agreement. Trump has promised to end the war within 24 hours, but given the complex nature of the conflict he may find it difficult to fulfill such a pledge.
Ukrainian President Zelensky, faced with staff shortages and ongoing losses on the ground, has suggested he may be open to negotiations, although he is likely to contest a number of elements of the Trump plan. But the president-elect may find it difficult to commit Putin to a solution, as the battlefield advantage could increase his claims at the table.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he would not comment on individual statements without an idea of the plan as a whole.