US peace plan criticised: Germany warns of concessions to Russia
The German press comments on the details of the US plan for ending the war, as revealed by American media. It ensures Russia retains the benefits of its aggression.
The German press does not hold back in criticising the US plan for concluding 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. Following Volodymyr Zelensky's announcement that he would not recognise the occupation of Crimea, Secretary of State Marco Rubio cancelled his visit to the London summit on Wednesday, causing the meeting to be called off.
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 actually gave up actions to end the fighting, Moscow would lose nothing. Even in such a case, if the Kremlin's desired normalisation of relations with Washington did not occur, Putin would be in a better position than before," comments the newspaper from Frankfurt.
"The American proposals burden almost exclusively Ukraine, as they clearly indicate that Kyiv has practically lost its most powerful ally so far. The cracks in the Western alliance will deepen due to these developments. And, which is also a victory from Putin's perspective, Trump undermines the authority of the US by showing how easily he is led by the nose," we read.
"A nasty blow"
"The American ideas for a ceasefire in Ukraine are similar to those that a minority of the German public predicted 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 concede Crimea and lost territories in eastern Russia. Thirdly, Kyiv can forget about its NATO membership" - enumerates "Volksstimme" from Magdeburg in Saxony-Anhalt.
"For Ukraine and its western allies, these are blows like a sledgehammer to the head. Yes, to a large extent, this war with its millions of victims and significant 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 violate international law with impunity. The only one who could genuinely stop him, his American counterpart Donald Trump, has long since returned to business as usual," we read.
"Where is the noisy pacifist Trump?"
"Where is the noisy pacifist Donald Trump now, who just a few months ago announced he would end Russia's criminal war against Ukraine within 24 hours? This question naturally arises, especially after the sudden cancellation of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's arrival, which downgraded the meeting in London to 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 compounded 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 acceptable? Anything that Putin would acquire, especially in terms of land and people, would mean rewarding his crimes" – notes the newspaper from Stuttgart.
