Trump and Putin May Have Tricked NATO, Zelenskyy to Make Peace Possible in Ukraine
Oct. 21—Sources report that a clever move by President Donald Trump, with the help of Russian President Vladimir Putin, may have tricked the European war party, including the British and their Ukrainian dictator Volodymyr Zelenskyy, into supporting the first phase of a new Trump peace plan to end NATO's war against Russia in Ukraine—reports cited by Trump say the war is slaughtering 7,000 soldiers a week.
According to these sources, which include individuals close to the White House, the idea was to get the Europeans and Zelenskyy to back a proposal made by Trump for a ceasefire in place to halt the war, while negotiations would provide the details of a permanent peace plan and reconstruction of the war-devastated Ukraine. Trump made the proposal during a tense Oct. 17 meeting with Zelenskyy and his team at the White House, during which the delusional Zelenskyy tried to convince Trump with maps and charts that, with more weapons—including American long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles that could strike deep into Russia—Ukraine could somehow win the war against Russia.
Dismissal of Ukrainian Optimism
According to these sources, and as reported in the City of London's mouthpiece, the Financial Times, Trump dismissed such reckless claims, after once posting something to the same effect on his Truth Social account following a previous meeting in Europe with Zelenskyy.
Those erroneous reports about Ukraine's military success, which one source characterized as "borderline insane" and had been supported by British intelligence, have now been countered by more sober assessments coming from the Director of National Intelligence and the CIA. These assessments affirm that NATO's war in Ukraine is hopelessly lost, in large part due to the enormous losses suffered by Ukraine, which has depleted its front lines—as had Zelenskyy's Hitler-like invasion of the Kursk region of Russia, which diverted and then lost critical manpower and equipment. No number of new weapons would change these battlefield conditions. Provision of the Tomahawks to Ukraine would not only lead to a deterioration of relations between the U.S. and Russia, but as Ukraine's situation became more desperate, Ukraine—with NATO's help (contrary to some media reports, the U.S. is not the only one with the ability to operate the Tomahawks; NATO can also do that)—might hurl those missiles at Moscow and the Kremlin, which could set a path toward a nuclear confrontation and possible general thermonuclear war.
A Blunt Exchange at the White House
At one point in the meeting, sources report, Trump stopped Zelenskyy and told him, "Don't show me that bullshit. The war is lost. You cannot win. You need to let me get the best deal possible. Putin wants peace."
The Financial Times reported that the meeting became "a shouting match."
As for the Tomahawks, Trump told the Ukrainian that they were off the table—not just for now, but for all time. "I want to stop the war and end the killing," sources report, "and you are going to agree to let me do that."
At that point, Trump made his proposal for a ceasefire-in-place to freeze the war and then allow for negotiations around a framework he would propose—one Ukraine could support and live with. If Ukraine continues to fight, Trump said, then Putin will destroy you and your country, and the United States cannot stop that and won't.
“If [Putin] wants it, he will destroy you,” Trump is said to have told Zelenskyy, according to the Financial Times.
Zelenskyy’s Reluctant Endorsement
At no point during the meeting with Zelenskyy did Trump say that Putin had agreed to his ceasefire proposal. Instead, Zelenskyy was only told that Trump would talk to the Russian leader about it during the upcoming Budapest summit, the details for which were being worked out. Zelenskyy asked to attend the summit but was rebuffed by the President, sources say. He was told that he would meet with Zelenskyy after he met with Putin. When asked later if the Ukrainian would attend the summit by reporters, they were told by Trump that it was "not a good idea. There's too much bad blood there, now."
Zelenskyy left the White House without much comment. He would only characterize the discussion as "frank." He went back to where he was staying, and sources say he put in a call to a European leader, which some sources believe was British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who has backed the line that, with help, Ukraine could win the war. He asked what he should do—should he back the ceasefire-in-place plan? He was reportedly told to endorse the idea to placate Trump, as the Russians will never accept it; the Europeans will say the same thing, but they know Putin will reject it, and then they are back to talking about how to fight the war.
European Leaders React
In a press conference held Oct. 17, Zelenskyy followed his orders and endorsed the Trump ceasefire-in-place plan. According to some reports, Zelenskyy later had a conference call with European leaders including NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Starmer, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. According to a statement from the U.K.’s 10 Downing Street, they gave “their unwavering commitment to Ukraine in the face of ongoing Russian aggression. A just and lasting peace for Ukraine was the only way to stop the killing for good, they agreed.” A spokesman added: “Further discussions about how they could support Ukraine in the lead-up to, and following, a ceasefire would continue this week, including in a Coalition of the Willing call on Friday, the leaders agreed.”
On Oct. 19, Trump went all in on his proposal. He denied reports in the Financial Times that he had demanded Zelenskyy give up territory in the Donbass to get Putin to agree to a ceasefire but insisted that Ukraine has to be willing to give up land already taken by Russia.
“We think that what they should do is just stop at the lines where they are—the battle lines. The rest is very tough to negotiate if you’re going to say, ‘You take this, we take that.’ There are just so many different permutations,” he continued.
“So, what I say is they should stop right now at the battle lines. Go home, stop killing people and be done.”
Asked what should happen to the Donbas region, Trump added: “Let it be cut the way it is. It’s cut up right now.
“I think 78% of the land is already taken by Russia. You leave it the way it is right now. They can negotiate something later on down the line. But I said cut and stop at the battle line, go home, stop fighting, stop killing people.”
The Summit and the Strategy Behind It
According to a BBC report today, "European leaders have joined Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky in insisting that any talks on ending the war in Ukraine should start with freezing the current front line and warned that Russia is not serious about peace.
"In a statement signed by 11 leaders including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, they said they 'strongly support' US President Donald Trump's position that 'the fighting should stop immediately, and that the current line of contact should be the starting point of negotiations.'"
"Trump baited the trap and NATO and their puppet Zelenskyy took the bait," said a diplomatic source. "They fail to understand that all of what is happening was discussed with Putin before the meeting with Zelenskyy. The idea is to come out of the summit with the ceasefire-in-place, which concedes all territory Russia has taken, and also an agreement that Ukraine will not join NATO and that NATO will halt its eastward expansion. Then, there can be serious negotiations on what will be called the Trump Peace Plan, of which there are other parts. The territory concessions will not be formal but will be accepted. Meanwhile, Trump will say that he will give Ukraine and Russia the kind of protection from attack that he recently gave Qatar. Russia would agree to sign a non-aggression pact with NATO.
But it has to start with an end to the war, right now. Putin has said that he is willing to discuss that, which is why the summit is taking place. But for the present, the Russians are going to say that they won't agree to any ceasefire. That is to come out of the summit. I think there can be the agreement Trump wants, or he would not have proposed it. Trump and Putin are fooling everybody, so we can have peace."
Obstacles and Outlook for the Budapest Summit
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Oct. 20 the idea had been put to the Russians repeatedly but that "the consistency of Russia's position doesn't change."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov today dismissed the idea of halting the conflict at the current contact line. Moscow was only interested in "long-term, sustainable peace," Lavrov said, implying that freezing the front line would only amount to a temporary ceasefire. The "root causes of the conflict" needed to be addressed, Lavrov said.
Meanwhile, NATO continues to try to sabotage the Budapest summit by denying Putin transit through the airspace of several countries, which state that they would enforce an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for the Russian leader if his plane were to enter their airspace. However, it appears that Bulgaria would allow Putin to pass through, as its Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev said today: "When efforts are made for peace, it is only logical that all sides contribute to making such a meeting possible."
No date has been set for the summit, but it is expected to take place before the end of the month, or shortly thereafter.
The Outline of the Trump Peace Plan for Ukraine
Oct. 21—The following comes from a Speir report from Oct. 18 headlines "Trump Meets With Zelenskyy and With Putin's Help, Sends Him Packing."
Trump sources close to the White House report that Trump is not only building off the momentum of his success in the Middle East, but he has also decided to follow the same script: divide the Plan in phases, the first being to achieve its main goal—to halt the bloodshed, which he claims is killing 10,000, mostly soldiers, a week. This is not just a ceasefire at the present military lines, but a halt to all military activity on both sides, including Russian air and drone attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure and related targets, and similar attacks on targets inside Russia by Ukraine. Ukraine could continue to be resupplied by NATO through its purchase of U.S.-made weapons and munitions, but munitions could not be transported to the front lines, nor could either side reinforce its position.
Neutrality for Ukraine and Sanctions Relief for Russia
According to these sources, Russia would agree to allow Ukraine to join the European Union, but Ukraine needs to renounce plans for membership in NATO, declaring its neutrality.
In exchange for Russian agreement to the Plan, many if not all sanctions will be removed from Russia and countries trading with Russia, with any remaining sanctions removed as the plan is implemented.
There would be a peacekeeping force made up of non-NATO nations deployed to police the ceasefire, its composition the subject of discussion between the parties, including the United States as mediator, with Special Envoy Steve Witkoff handling the lead job in this.
Security Guarantees and Territorial Status Quo
Sources report that, in answer to concerns coming from various quarters, Putin will sign on to a declaration that Russia has no further intentions of attacking or invading Ukraine, nor does it have any intention of attacking NATO members or anyone else in Europe. Trump will ask NATO to sign a reciprocal agreement that it will not attack Russia or any other non-NATO European state, nor will it seek any further NATO memberships of countries bordering Russia.
Zelenskyy had demanded, backed by his European sponsors, membership in NATO as protection against what he claims would be further Russian aggression under Article 5 of the NATO charter. Trump is considering giving Ukraine and Russia both a guarantee against future attacks by Executive Order, similar to what he gave Qatar earlier this month.
The initial agreement will not deal with the thorny issue of territorial concessions by Ukraine and Russia, but Trump has stated that such concessions will take place during negotiations. The resulting agreement, these sources say, will not force Ukraine to formally concede portions of its territory, which it cannot do without Constitutional amendment, but it will allow them to remain under Russian control, and Ukraine will state that it will not seek to reclaim them by military means.
The Trump Ukraine plan will lay out the groundwork for the rebuilding of the Ukraine, in which many nations will contribute to the reconstruction plans, in which Ukraine will have the major role in approving such plans, which Trump wants to get underway, as soon as the fighting stops and the other details are signed off on by the two warring parties.
The sources report that Trump is considering setting up something like the "Board of Peace" that he has overseeing the Gaza Peace deal, which he or one of his emissaries would head. He is said to be concerned as to who would determine what violates the agreement; in the Gaza plan, that person is Donald Trump.
Putin Agrees to Trump Plan for Ceasefire
Trump discussed his thinking with Putin in their 2 plus hour phone call Oct. 16. Putin, sources report, was very receptive to the idea of Ukraine peace plan and will discuss the many details in the coming summit. "The President sees a ceasefire in place coming out of that meeting," said the source. "Putin reportedly agreed to it for the first time.