Unnamed aides to the former U.S. president indicate that he will also pressure China and threaten America's allies with higher tariffs to compel them to increase defense spending and "align their trade relations" with the U.S.
The publication notes that Trump and his vice-presidential candidate J.D. Vance have repeatedly expressed a desire to end the war in Ukraine, though it remains unclear how exactly they plan to do so. In September, Vance proposed the idea of freezing the war, which suggests that autonomous regions would be established on both sides of a demilitarized zone (proposed to be created along the line of demarcation), while Kyiv would find itself in a state of political uncertainty, outside NATO, as reported by the media, labeling this as rare information.
According to one of Trump's advisors, his plan to end the war could involve a "reassessment" of the Minsk agreements made in 2014-2015. These agreements called for a cessation of hostilities in Donbas, the withdrawal of illegal armed groups from the region, and the establishment of conditions for local elections, but they were never implemented. The aggressor country withdrew from the agreements two days before the onset of full-scale war, while Ukraine and the West had regularly accused Moscow of violating these agreements.
This time, as a source tells the media, they aim to create enforcement mechanisms that would impose consequences for violations of the agreement. However, according to Trump's plan, compliance with the agreements would be monitored not by NATO forces or UN peacekeepers, but by European troops. "We will not pay for this. Europe will pay for it," the publication quotes an unnamed source close to Trump.
The FT emphasizes that Kyiv insists that a peaceful resolution without strict security guarantees for Ukraine would equate to capitulation to the illegitimate president of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, as this could allow Russia to rest and prepare for a new offensive.
"This could also lead to a split in Europe; some NATO members might disagree on how to respond if America retreats," the media adds.
Trump's allies believe that Ukraine will lose the war, which is why it is "morally correct" to insist on a settlement, the article states. According to FT, Trump thinks that the current White House occupant, Joe Biden, should have a conversation with Putin, similar to how presidents spoke with Soviet leaders during the Cold War. Membership in NATO for Ukraine in the short term is supposedly not an option, according to those around the former president.
Fred Fleitz, who was chief of staff at the National Security Council during Trump's presidency from 2017 to 2021, stated that issues regarding Ukraine's NATO membership could be removed from the agenda for several years to pressure Russia into negotiations.
"We are freezing the conflict; Ukraine does not concede any territory, they are not renouncing their territorial claims, and we are negotiating with the understanding that there will likely be no final agreement until Putin is off the stage," he said.