Eight years ago, Ukrainian political elites faced a similar question: What to do if the United States elected a president who wants a deal with Russia on Ukraine? I proposed mutually binding security guarantees, international transitional administration, and self-governance in Crimea. Instead, these ideas were denounced by authorities and media.
Now, Donald Trump is back in the White House, Vladimir Putin is rising, and Ukraine is in ruins. Ukrainians must draw conclusions from past mistakes and save 80% of their territory. Many people may dislike Trump, but he can help remove conflict’s roots and open trade links.
A peace deal would involve Russia returning occupied territories to Ukraine. Washington must convince Moscow that gains outweigh losses. China, India, and other countries will likely support such a proposal. If they do, Russia will have difficulty refusing it.
The U.N. Security Council reform is necessary to prevent permanent members from starting wars without punishment. Internal changes in Ukraine are also needed, including returning to the rule of law and adopting a new constitution with checks and balances. However, these issues are secondary to a core agreement on neutrality and NATO.
A Nobel Peace Prize could be Trump’s reward if he achieves an ambitious peace deal. This would require him to reset the Euro-Atlantic security architecture with confidence in the future. The rest should be done by Ukrainians themselves, relying on their own strength to ensure future security and protect borders.
Source: https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/02/14/ukraine-russia-trump-putin-peace-neutrality-territory-zelensky