Lpeace in exchange for territories. Donald Trump's decisions regarding the war in Ukraine are closely scrutinized, particularly after his statements during the 2024 presidential campaign, where he assured that he would be able to end the conflict in just “24 hours”, but without detail the terms. Although the former president has not yet taken office, one of his former advisors has revealed potential avenues for a peace plan, which could well take shape under his future administration.
Bryan Lanza, a Republican strategist and former member of Trump's campaign team, told the BBC that the priority of the new government would be above all to “promote peace in Ukraine”, without attaching capital importance to the recovery of the territories occupied by Russia, including Crimea. According to him, if Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky insisted that Crimea be returned as a precondition for peace, this demonstrates a lack of seriousness on his part. “Crimea no longer exists,” he insisted, stressing that the peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014, is now under Russian control.
ALSO READ Could Donald Trump quickly enter into negotiations with Russia over Ukraine?This statement provoked strong reactions in Ukraine, where the Crimea issue is seen as a strong symbol of Ukrainian sovereignty. Dmytro Lytvyn, Zelensky's senior adviser, responded by calling the stance “pressure” on Ukraine to accept an unfavorable peace deal. According to him, “it is Putin, and not Ukraine, who seeks to prolong the war.” Lytvyn also stressed that Ukraine had since 2022 proposed concrete solutions to end the conflict, but that Russia must be brought to recognize the need for a true and stable peace, and not a temporary ceasefire. .
A « domination » from Russia
While the war in Ukraine has now lasted almost three years, the attitude of the elected American president remains ambivalent. His main objective, according to his advisers, remains to “end the war”, while limiting costs for the United States, particularly in terms of military aid. However, Trump has so far avoided specifying the contours of his peace plan, and has been evasive when it comes to the return of Ukrainian territories, notably Crimea.
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Some of its allies, including Bryan Lanza, are pushing proposals that their critics say could lead to prolonged Russian “domination” over Ukrainian regions, which contravenes the traditional position of the United States and its European allies. , who insist on the need to preserve the territorial integrity of Ukraine. This debate raises new questions about the place of territorial concessions in international diplomacy, and about the choices Trump will make in future negotiations.
At the same time, Donald Trump recently had a telephone interview with Volodymyr Zelensky, in the presence of Elon Musk, a Trump ally and influential actor in the technological field. This tête-à-tête, although discreet, could suggest the growing influence of private actors in the management of international diplomacy. For his part, Russian President Vladimir Putin also congratulated Trump on his election victory, in a move that could anticipate closer discussions on the war in Ukraine in the coming months.
