By : Vlad Green, Op-Ed
When US President Donald Trump unveiled his 28-point “peace plan” for ending the war in Ukraine, he presented it as a bold diplomatic breakthrough. But the truth is far more shocking: the plan was drafted without any consultation whatsoever with Ukraine — the country whose fate it purports to decide. And now, instead of recognizing this astonishing omission, Trump is publicly attacking Ukrainian and European leaders for refusing to accept it.
This is not diplomacy.
This is not negotiation.
This is coercion dressed up as statesmanship.
By blaming Ukraine for rejecting a plan that demands concessions to a foreign invader, Trump is effectively telling Kyiv to surrender — and to do so with a smile.
A Plan Written Over Ukraine’s Head
In every serious peace process of the modern era, the affected nation is at least invited to the table. Even adversaries like North and South Vietnam, or Israel and Egypt, were both engaged directly in the negotiations shaping their futures.
Trump’s approach breaks with this entire tradition. His plan was prepared by U.S. officials working in isolation — not with Ukraine, not with the European Union, and certainly not with NATO. It was then presented as a fait accompli, with Trump blasting Ukraine for refusing to rubber-stamp it.
What message does that send to America’s allies?
It signals clearly that Trump sees foreign policy less as a partnership and more as a stage for unilateral theatrics — even when the stakes involve the sovereignty of a democratic nation under attack.
Appeasing Putin at Democracy’s Expense
The most disturbing element is the unmistakable signal Trump is sending: his instinct is to align with Putin, not with Europe.
European leaders have already sounded the alarm about what they view as a radical shift in U.S. strategy — one that weakens NATO and emboldens authoritarian regimes. France’s junior defense minister described the new U.S. posture bluntly: “We live in a world of carnivores, and Europe will survive only if it can make itself respected.” Europe understands what is happening. Washington, under Trump, is becoming less reliable.
Putin understands it too.
And he is applauding — quietly, strategically, deliberately.
When the leader of the free world pushes a sovereign democracy to accept territorial losses demanded by an invader, the message to Moscow is unmistakable: keep pressing, keep waiting, and eventually America will hand you what you want.
The Dangerous Precedent for the World
If the United States begins rewarding aggression with diplomatic concessions, the consequences will echo far beyond Ukraine.
China will take note as it eyes Taiwan.
Iran will take note as it evaluates its regional ambitions.
North Korea will take note every time it fires a missile over Japan.
Autocrats everywhere will learn the same lesson:
Threaten your neighbors long enough and Washington will pressure the victim to surrender.
The credibility of the United States — the central pillar of global stability since World War II — is eroding in real time. And with it, the confidence of democracies who depend on American leadership to deter expansionist powers.
America’s Obligation: Support Peace, Not Capitulation
True peace requires diplomacy, compromise, and security guarantees that protect the sovereignty of nations — not a forced capitulation dressed up as a peace proposal. Ukraine cannot, and should not, be expected to endorse any plan crafted behind its back and designed to satisfy the ambitions of an aggressor.
If Trump genuinely wants a viable peace, he must start by engaging both sides, aligning with America’s democratic allies, and recognizing that sustainable peace can never be built on the humiliation of the victim.
Until then, good luck to democracy in the world.
Because democracy cannot survive if the world’s leading democracy starts cheering for the autocrats.