US strategy for Ukraine draws ire: German press critiques plan
The German press comments on the details of the US plan for ending the war, as revealed by American media. It guarantees Russia the retention of the effects of its aggression.
The German press does not shy away from criticizing the US plan for ending the war. Ukraine would have to accept the separation of occupied territories (Crimea and four regions), forgo its NATO candidacy, and hand over a nuclear power plant under US supervision. After, among others, Volodymyr Zelensky's announcement that he would not recognize the occupation of Crimea, Secretary of State Marco Rubio cancelled his visit to the Wednesday summit in London, which resulted in the meeting not taking place.
FAZ: "A misguided idea"
"The plan for ending the war in Ukraine presented by the American government is a misguided idea," writes Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. "If Donald Trump gave up actions to end the fighting, Moscow would lose nothing. Even if, in such a case, nothing came out of the Kremlin's desired normalization of relations with Washington, Putin would be in a better position than before," comments the newspaper from Frankfurt.
"The American proposals burden almost exclusively Ukraine, as they clearly show that Kyiv has practically lost its most powerful ally to date. The cracks in the Western alliance will deepen as a result of these processes. And, which is also a victory from Putin's point of view, Trump undermines the authority of the US by showing how easily the nose leads him," we read.
"A nasty blow"
"The American ideas for a ceasefire in Ukraine are similar to those that a minority of the German public forecasted just a few months after the war broke out. Firstly, the decision to end the war will be made in Washington, not Kyiv. Secondly, Ukraine will have to give up Crimea and lose territories in eastern Ukraine. Thirdly, Kyiv can forget about its NATO membership," enumerates Volksstimme from Magdeburg in Saxony-Anhalt.
"For Ukraine and its western allies, these are nasty blows like a sledgehammer to the head. Yes, to a large extent, this war, with its millions of victims and massive material losses, was unnecessary. Behind this lies the bitter observation that even in the 21st century, whoever has the most military and weapons can impose their will on the opponent. Ultimately, Russia's ruler, Vladimir Putin, can thus trample international law with impunity. The only one who could stop him, his American counterpart Donald Trump, has long since returned to doing business," we read.
"Where is the noisy pacifist Trump?"
"Where is that noisy pacifist Donald Trump, who just a few months ago announced that he would end Russia's criminal war against Ukraine within 24 hours? This question naturally arises, especially after the sudden cancellation of the arrival by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which downgraded the meeting in London to the rank of an advisory group. But the situation is too serious for jokes," write "Stuttgarter Nachrichten.
Decisive is the fact that Russian President Vladimir Putin, who unilaterally started this war and could end it in the blink of an eye, shows no interest in peace, but much interest in spoils. This situation is further defined by the problems of Ukraine's allies in reaching an agreement with it and among themselves regarding an acceptable offer for Putin. What could be sufficient? Anything that Putin would get, especially in terms of land and people, would mean a reward for his crimes," notes the newspaper from Stuttgart.
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