Western media have been spreading rumors about the American peace plan for war Russia Ukraine for about two weeks. The most discussed in Ukraine news was the US proposal to recognize Crimea as Russian territory.
Other proposals include the de facto recognition of Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Kherson regions as Russian, the lifting of sanctions against Russia and Ukraine’s refusal to join NATO.
In return, Ukraine can join the EU, return the Kharkiv region, the Kakhovka dam and control over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (through American management). The full content of President Donald Trump’s peace plan was learned by Reuters.
How the world media react to the proposed American peace plan is further in the analysis.
Trump demands surrender: British media
The weekly magazine The Economist published an article under the headline “America is selling Ukraine peace plan. No one is buying yet”. Journalists note that Trump has failed to achieve even a short-term truce in the first 100 days of his presidency.
The publication emphasizes that the American plan involves significant concessions to Russia without clear security guarantees for Kyiv, and has not yet been supported by either Ukraine, Russia or Europe. It remains unclear what steps the US will take next, and whether support for Ukraine will remain.
The Guardian newspaper published an article under the title “Berlin says US peace proposal ‘like surrender’”. The publication quotes the German Defense Minister, who criticized Donald Trump’s peace plan. The plan involves territorial concessions to Ukraine and is similar to surrender.
Trump is putting pressure on Kyiv and Moscow, but says the US may walk out of the talks if there is no progress. Meanwhile, Russia continues its attacks on Ukraine, North Korea has confirmed sending troops to support Russia, and Ukraine maintains a presence in Russia’s border regions.
The BBC emphasizes that Trump’s peace plan includes recognizing Crimea as part of Russia, which contradicts Ukraine’s position and its Constitution. Volodymyr Zelenskyy categorically refuses any concessions on territorial integrity.
The article mentions how Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 using “little green men,” and that this annexation is not recognized by the international community.
A deal doomed to fail: American media
The New York Times published an article titled “Trump pressures Ukraine to accept peace plan that sharply favors Russia”. The journalists note that the Trump administration is starting to act in favor of Russia – considering lifting sanctions, discussing energy deals with Putin and reducing investigations into Russian war crimes.
CNN published an article titled “Trump’s peace offer for Ukraine is generous to Russia, and may even be insufficient for Putin”. The article criticizes Donald Trump’s approach to the war in Ukraine. He promises to “end the war,” but probably on terms favorable to Russia: freezing the front, limiting aid to Ukraine, recognizing Crimea as Russian. The authors warn that such an agreement will not bring peace, but will only strengthen Putin’s position and weaken the West:
Without a sustainable settlement for Ukraine, it will lead to a long-term crack in the transatlantic alliance and even NATO.
The journalists also emphasize that freezing the war is not in Russia’s interests, as it believes in “better days on the battlefield”.
Bloomberg published an article “A Peace Deal for Ukraine That Is Doomed to Fail”. It says that the “peace plan” will not allow for the construction of a stable peace. The agreement includes a ceasefire, but most of the conditions are favorable to Russia, in particular, the recognition of Crimea as Russian territory and Ukraine’s refusal to join NATO.
In addition, the US could gain control over Ukraine’s resources, while Ukraine would gain little from this agreement. It is proposed that the agreement should include clear security guarantees, Ukraine’s right to defense, and the restoration of its territorial integrity, so that the peace is genuine and sustainable. The author criticizes the proposal, indicating that it could lead to Ukraine losing its sovereignty, and suggests seeking a more reasonable solution to achieve real peace.
The Washington Post published an article “Here’s the Most Dangerous Concession to Putin in Trump’s Peace Plan”. Journalists criticize Trump’s plan as disastrous for Ukraine. The plan involves de facto recognition by Russia of its annexation of Crimea and occupation of parts of Ukrainian territory, as well as a promise that Ukraine will not become a member of NATO and that sanctions against Russia will be lifted. In exchange, Ukraine receives only a small return of the territory of the Kharkiv region, but without real security guarantees or US commitments to protect it. In addition, there are fears that Russia will take advantage of the ceasefire to rearm and resume aggression.
The article also highlights that the plan undermines basic principles of international law, in particular, the Stimson Doctrine, which prohibits the recognition of conquered territories. Trump seeks to preserve peace at all costs, but this could lead to recognition of the illegal occupation of Crimea, which is unacceptable to Ukraine.
Another nail in the coffin of the world order: French media
LEXPRESS published an article titled “Crimea is Donald Trump’s ‘Gift’, Confirming Vladimir Putin’s Aggression Strategy”. It states that “Secretary of State Mike Pompeo strongly condemned the Moscow press’s accession in 2014, and Trump has put another nail in the coffin of the world order created in 1945”.
The journalists note that Donald Trump’s position effectively acknowledges Putin’s aggressive strategy. Even during a conversation with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Rome during the funeral of Pope Francis, he shows no sympathy for Ukraine, which has been under attack from Russia for over three years. Instead, he focuses on a ceasefire at all costs, even if Putin does not stop the aggression. Trump’s position also strengthens authoritarian leaders like Putin and Kim Jong-un.
Le Point published an article “Donald Trump’s illusory peace in Ukraine”. It says that the “Trump peace plan” involves a number of concessions to the Kremlin. This approach actually weakens Kyiv’s position, establishes Russia as the winner, and threatens the security of all of Europe. The authors of the article doubt that this is in the interests of the United States and call on Europeans to take active action to prevent the worst-case scenario.
The media outlet L’Humanité published an article titled “We are ready to negotiate”: Russia tries to calm the situation, then launches new drones over Ukraine. The article describes how Donald Trump’s team is promoting a peace plan that could seriously harm Ukraine – in particular, it is about the possible recognition of Crimea as Russian in exchange for an end to the war. Such a plan is worrying European allies, as it actually weakens Kiev and strengthens Moscow’s position.
Despite talks about peace, Russia continues to massively shell Ukraine, including Kyiv, which contradicts the statements of its diplomats. President Zelenskyy declares that “there is nothing to discuss” regarding the territories – this is Ukrainian land. The United States, in particular the Trump team, is increasingly inclined to the option of “freezing” the conflict and territorial concessions.
Too favorable plan for Russia: German media
The news portal Der Spiegel published an article “This is not a peace plan, but a plan to expand the war”. The article discusses the heated debate surrounding Donald Trump’s alleged “peace plan” to end the war in Ukraine.
The journalists quote German politician Roderich Kiesewetter (CDU), who called it Ukraine’s capitulation and an encouragement to Russia to further aggression. He called on Europe to strengthen its support for Ukraine. In contrast, Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) believes that the plan could be a chance for peace if Russia agrees to end the war. The Ukrainian authorities are against concessions, as this contradicts the Constitution of Ukraine.
Overall, the journalists conclude, the plan looks too favorable for Russia, as it also provides for the lifting of sanctions and the exclusion of Ukraine’s accession to NATO.
The Bild newspaper published an article “Ukraine is ready for a temporary loss of territory” The article analyzes whether Donald Trump’s peace plan has a chance of being implemented. Kyiv is now more open to compromise than before, but President Zelenskyy rejects the current version of the plan, including the demand to legally recognize Crimea as Russian.
Russia has not yet officially commented on the plan, but Putin has allegedly shown interest in a truce. Experts suggest that a compromise is possible if Crimea receives the same status as other temporarily occupied regions – without international recognition.
Ukraine needs to accept the plan: Hungarian media
Media 24.hu published an article “Russia has decided not to accept any peace plan”. It quotes the Russian representative to the UN Security Council, Vasyl Nebenzia, as saying that “Zelenskyy’s peace initiatives serve to buy time to intensify the fight against Russia”. Russia is supposedly ready for negotiations, but only with those who are ready to “accept reality and end the war”.
Media Daily News Hungary published an article “Prime Minister Orbán suggests that there is no other change in Ukraine than to support Trump’s peace efforts or they will lose their country”. It discusses the positions of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on the possible accession of Ukraine to the European Union.
Among Orbán’s positions is that Ukraine’s accession to the EU will prolong the war in the European Union and this contradicts the idea of peace, and the only way for Ukraine at the moment is to accept Trump’s plan. At the same time, there is no other news or analysis on this topic in the media.
The Magyar Jelen media published an article “Zelenskyy said that he would never recognize the supremacy of Crimea in Russia”. It says that Volodymyr Zelenskyy refuses to recognize Crimea as Russian, despite pressure from the United States. Some American politicians offer concessions on Crimea and NATO for the sake of peace, but Ukraine rejects such conditions. The journalists also ironically note that Ukrainians do not have “a meaningful influence on the course of events”.
On two chairs: Chinese media
The ChinaDaily media published an article titled “Resilience Test – No Excuse for Kyiv’s Behavior”. The journalists accuse the US of putting excessive pressure on Ukraine to force it to agree to peace talks with Russia, in particular, to accept the loss of Crimea.
The article also criticizes the position of the US president, who allegedly ignores Zelenskyy’s “red lines” and hints that Ukraine will either accept peace on the proposed terms or be left alone. In general, the journalists conclude that “there is a wide gap between the US administration and Kyiv and its European allies on how to end the conflict”.
The People’s Daily media only published a news story quoting Trump that Zelenskyy’s statement (on non-recognition of Crimea as Russian territory) is “very harmful to peace talks with Russia”.
At the same time, journalists note that Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared Kyiv’s readiness to hold negotiations in any format once a potential ceasefire with Russia is established.
Xinhuanet quotes the Russian side in the context of “peace talks”. For example, journalists quote Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying that “Russia remains ‘open to negotiations’ on Ukraine and expects ‘sincerity’ from Ukraine.
Another news story quotes Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev as saying that “the ongoing negotiations on Ukraine will ultimately lead to peace”.
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An analysis of the reaction of the leading Western media to the proposed American “peace plan” for Ukraine shows an almost unanimous condemnation of its main provisions. Virtually all sources – from British and American to French and German – emphasize that the proposed concessions are much more in the interests of Russia than of Ukraine or international security in general. Recognition of the occupied territories, lifting of sanctions and refusal to join NATO in exchange for minimal compensation for Ukraine are not seen as a fair or sustainable solution to the conflict.
The so-called “peace” looks like an attempt to achieve a political compromise at the expense of Ukrainian sovereignty and international law. Such an agreement not only does not stop the war, but may also create a dangerous precedent of capitulation to the aggressor.
While most international media point to Trump’s support for the Kremlin, some countries have a more restrained position. For example, the Hungarian media do not show such active criticism of the Trump plan. Chinese media are also cautiously discussing the US “peace plan”, also emphasizing the Russian position.
Anna Ostymchuk
