CARROT AND STICK
Trump to INCREASE US military support for Ukraine if ‘terrified’ Putin doesn’t bow to peace talks as more details emerge
The Ukrainian president is still set on joining Nato, but Trump's team seems to have ruled that out
MORE details of Donald Trump’s clever plan to bring a swift end to the war in Ukraine have emerged.
Trump's top team has hatched a carrot and stick plan to force the warring leaders to the discussion table and bring peace to the region when he enters office in January.
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The clever scheme uses America’s military support for Ukraine as a double-edged sword to encourage Zelensky and threaten panicky Putin.
If the Russian war-mongerer kept snatching land and refused to join peace talks, Trump would make him suffer by pouring more cash into Ukraine’s military.
Zelensky would be rewarded for following Trump’s lead with support for Ukraine to protect itself under the new terms of any deal.
Under Trump’s plan, Zelensky would have to give up the land Russia has already taken in the eastern regions of Ukraine and drop his dream of immediately joining Nato.
READ MORE ON THE PEACE PLANS
The Ukrainian leader has repeatedly ruled out land sacrifices for most of the war, but recently indicated he might consider the option to halt the bloodshed.
If Zelensky did not co-operate, Trump would slash the US support that the Ukrainian military relies on.
There are signs both Zelensky and Putin may fall in line with Trump’s plan that could prove to be a silver bullet.
Insiders close to Trump told The Sun that Putin is “scared to death” of the president-elect and will be ready to talk when he takes power.
Most read in The Sun
But bullish Vlad is already teeing up hard-line terms for any deal brokered by Trump, sources say.
The Kremlin could agree to freeze conflict along frontlines - but will refuse to surrender any significant territory, five current and former Russian officials told Reuters.
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A former top U.S. intelligence official also thinks Putin may drag his heels.
Eugene Rumer told Reuters: “Putin is in no hurry,” because he has Ukraine on the back foot.
The expert suggested greedy Vlad might make a grab for even more land before entering discussions towards a deal.
Russia already controls all of Donetsk and Luhansk (which make up Crimea), and more than 70 per cent of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.
Ukraine meanwhile is facing major manpower shortages and losing land, so needs an exit ramp from the conflict.
Last week Zelensky indicated he may be open to negotiations, but still has Ukraine joining Nato as part of his “victory plan”.
There is consensus among Trump’s advisors that any peace deal would rule out Ukraine joining Nato in the near future, so this could be a sticking point.
But this is where the US could use the threat of withdrawing military support to leverage Zelensky.
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Dr Kevin Roberts, who has close ties with the president-elect, is optimistic that Trump’s plan will prove effective and be lightning-fast.
He told The Sun: “Under Donald Trump, the Ukraine war will be done in days.
“Putin is scared to death of Trump but tragically Ukraine needs to give up territory for that to happen.”
Trump promised repeatedly during the election campaign to end the Russia-Ukraine war within 24 hours of entering the White House, but had kept his plans under wraps.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Insiders have revealed his approach has been to let individual advisors pitch ideas to each other and in some cases to Trump, rather than forming a central task force.
The advisors told Reuters that in the end it may all come down to the personal interaction between Trump, Putin and Zelensky.
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