During his campaign, US President-elect Trump repeatedly said he could end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine within a day. As Trump wins his second presidential term, the outside world is paying close attention to how he will fulfill his promise.
During the campaign, Trump frequently attacked current US President Biden's handling of the Ukraine crisis, claiming it increased the likelihood of World War III and that massive aid to Ukraine harmed US interests.
Trump has repeatedly stressed that he already has a plan to end the war and bring Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table, but he will not announce the details until after he wins the election.
However, according to media reports, Trump has not yet decided on a specific peace plan.
People familiar with the matter said that although advisers have put forward some ideas, the ultimate decision on how to handle this sensitive and highly important diplomatic matter will be made by Trump and his key aides in consultation.
Different factions within the Republican Party also have significantly different solutions. For example, former US Secretary of State Pompeo (expected to become Secretary of Defense in Trump's new cabinet) advocates a tougher stance on Russia, while Richard Grenell (possibly the next US Secretary of State or National Security Advisor) may prioritize ending the war, which means forcing Ukraine to make major concessions.
It is reported that a preliminary plan has been proposed within the Trump team. The core part of the plan is that Ukraine promises not to join NATO for at least 20 years. In exchange, the United States will continue to provide Ukraine with a large number of weapons to defend against future Russian attacks.
Under the plan, the front lines would be largely locked, with Russia and Ukraine establishing an 800-mile demilitarized zone, and it was unclear who would administer the territory.
An adviser to Trump's team said the peacekeeping force would not include U.S. troops or come from U.S.-funded international agencies such as the United Nations.
"We can provide training and other support, but the peacekeeping responsibilities will be assumed by the Europeans. We will not send American men and women to keep the peace in Ukraine, nor will we pay for it. Let the Poles, Germans, British and French take the responsibility," said members of Trump's team.