U.S. peace plan criticized: Rewarding Putin, forsaking Ukraine

The whole world acts as if Vladimir Putin were a politician. This is likely because he holds the political office of President of the Russian Federation. In reality, however, Putin is a gangster, not a petty criminal involved in trivial fraud or a street thug, but a criminal on a global scale, and a successful one at that, wrote "Sueddeutsche Zeitung."

According to commentator Hubert Wetzel from the newspaper, the Kremlin ruler may soon receive a reward for his "illegal, brutal, and internationally unlawful, plundering expedition" to Ukraine.

The reward takes the form of a "so-called peace plan" cobbled together by "two real estate dealers" from New York, Donald Trump and Steve Witkoff, who "by a stupid coincidence" became the President of the USA and his negotiator for Ukraine, respectively.

"From what we know about the content of this plan, it looks like Putin dictated to Witkoff a list of demands that Trump presented to Ukraine as a final offer," we read in "SZ." Kyiv would have to relinquish the occupied territories, Washington would permanently block Ukraine's accession to NATO, and sanctions on Russia would be lifted. In return, Ukraine would get virtually nothing.

This is how international politics works when practiced by a dictator who uses blackmail, who treats war, murder, and rape as legitimate methods of operation, and a boastful narcissist whose business and diplomatic "deals" essentially consist of bankruptcies and capitulations, emphasized the author of the commentary.

"Putin and Trump believe that the stronger one is always right, and if the weaker one doesn't submit in time, it is their own fault when they find themselves under a hail of bombs. Europe's history in the first half of the 20th century shows where such views lead," warned Wetzel.

If the "peace plan" becomes a reality, European countries will bear the consequences. Rewarding the gangster and handing him the loot in front of the robbed will certainly not achieve one thing: peace, concluded the commentator from "Sueddeutsche Zeitung."

According to "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung," Trump's peace plan is a "misguided idea." Its individual points, especially the recognition of Russia's annexation of Crimea, are unacceptable for Ukraine. Trump doesn't even try to put more pressure on the Kremlin, assessed columnist Reinhard Veser.

Putin has no reason to give up his maximalist demands. The announcement from Washington that it might withdraw from mediation "only brings an ironic smile in Moscow."

If Trump does indeed withdraw from mediation, Moscow loses nothing. Even if an attempt to normalize relations with Washington fails, Putin will be in a better position than before. American proposals are evidence that Ukraine has lost its most potent ally, emphasized Veser.

"The fissures in the Western alliance will deepen. Trump undermines the authority of the USA, showing how easily he can be led by the nose, which is an advantage from Putin's point of view," summarized the commentator.

"Putin rewarded, Ukraine abandoned," wrote "Tageszeitung." "Over 100,000 dead and wounded, the gravest war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the shifting of borders by force. Vladimir Putin can consider himself lucky. His aggressive war, during which, for over three years, he has been bombing neighboring Ukraine almost daily, has proved rewarding," reads the commentary by Barbara Oertel.

In her opinion, "the so-called peace plan" deserves to be labeled more as "capitulation." "What remains of it will be thrown at the feet of Europeans, without American security guarantees," emphasized Oertel.

"Democracy, human rights, and the rule of law are as neglected by Trump as they are by his 'spiritual brother,' Putin," concluded the commentator from "TAZ."