Trump’s team is considering delaying Ukraine’s NATO membership for at least 20 years, the WSJ reports

On November 7, 2024By Littum

One idea within US President-elect Donald Trump’s team to end Russia’s war involves delaying Kyiv’s NATO membership for at least 20 years in exchange for continued arms supplies, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on November 6, citing three sources close to on Trump. .

Trump, who won the November 5 presidential vote, has repeatedly said he would end the war within “24 hours” and get the United States “out” of Ukraine.

Earlier media reports and statements from Trump’s inner circle indicated that this would involve freezing the war on the current front lines and establishing a demilitarized zone in the east, a claim also supported by WSJ’s sources.

Russia currently occupies around 20% of Ukrainian territory in the south and east and continues to steadily push back Ukrainian defenders, albeit at the cost of heavy casualties.

It remains unclear who would oversee the 800-mile (1,300-kilometer) demilitarized zone, but an undisclosed Trump aide told the WSJ that Washington would demand European allies to send in their troops.

This proposal is just one of the ideas circulating around Trump’s team, and the president-elect tends to make major policy decisions on the spot, the sources said.

Two of Trump’s advisers, retired generals Keith Kellogg and Fred Fleitz, proposed in June to end military aid to Ukraine unless the country agrees to hold peace talks with Russia.

At the same time, Kellogg said the plan would carry additional warnings to Russia that the United States would increase its military support for Ukraine if it refused the terms of the ceasefire.

Fleitz said Trump responded positively to the plan, but added: “I’m not saying he agreed with it or agreed with every word of it.” The plan also involved taking Ukraine’s NATO membership off the table for “an extended period in exchange for a comprehensive and verifiable peace agreement with security guarantees.”

Ukraine submitted a request for NATO membership in 2022, but has not received an invitation and received a cold response from US President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and others.

Both Kiev and Moscow said it would not be possible to end the war within 24 hours, as Trump claims. Ukraine has been adamant about not recognizing Russian occupation of its territories, but has acknowledged that some may need to be freed through diplomatic means.

On the other hand, Russia currently has the upper hand on the battlefield, outnumbering and outnumbering Ukrainian troops, and likely has little incentive to seek a solution.