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Top figures from the majority of G20 countries have convened in Johannesburg, South Africa, for their annual summit. Notably absent is President Trump, who is boycotting the event due to what he describes as South Africa’s unfair treatment of its white minority. His absence will be felt when G20 leaders meet separately to discuss a new peace proposal aimed at resolving the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian conflict.
The proposal, negotiated directly between the United States and Russia, suggests that Ukraine should concede significant territories, including the entire disputed Donbass region. Further stipulations require Ukraine to drastically reduce its military capabilities and relinquish any territorial claims to Crimea and other regions.
From the outset, it seemed unlikely that Ukraine would accept such terms. Now, it appears that much of the European community is also opposed to this plan.
The proposal, a 28-point plan, calls for Ukrainian concessions already largely rejected by the country’s president and allies, including demands for land and limits on the size of Ukraine’s military. President Trump has given President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine until next week to agree to the plan, backing him into a seemingly lose-lose scenario as he faces the risk of losing crucial American support if he does not accept.
European leaders now face increased pressure to show they can get Ukraine the economic and military support it needs to continue battling Russia without U.S. support.
The plan worked out bilaterally between the USA and Russia calls for Ukraine to surrender quite a bit of territory, including all of the contested Donbass region, as well as requiring Ukraine to sharply pare back its military, as well as ceding any claims to Crimea, among other regions.
It was always a near-certainty that Ukraine wasn’t going to buy that. Now it appears as though much of the European community won’t buy it, either.