Sowing the Cede

“In exchange for giving up land and its ability to defend itself, Ukraine would be offered toothless security guarantees by the United States—much like the never-enforced guarantees that it received when it gave up nuclear weapons after gaining independence in the 1990s. The points in the deal appear to be so lopsided in Putin’s favor that they might as well have been dictated by Moscow.” (Maybe they were…) The Atlantic (Gift Article): Trump’s Devastating Plan for Ukraine. “If Trump forces Ukraine and its allies in Western Europe to accept a peace deal that ratifies Russia’s territorial gains—giving Putin even more than he was able to conquer, and requiring no real concessions of him at all—it will amount to a complete rehabilitation of the Russian president in the international sphere. It will be as if Russia had done nothing wrong at all by invading a sovereign state and seizing a large part of its territory—everyone slaps one another on the back and gets on with business.” (Within our lifetimes, America may forgive itself for Trump. The world won’t.)

+ Ukraine banned from Nato, Russia readmitted to the G8 and territory ceded: what’s in Trump’s draft plan.

+ Trump wants a decision from Ukraine and Europe by Thanksgiving. Here’s the latest from The Guardian.