Former British soldier Shaun Pinner, who fought Russian forces during the brutal siege of Mariupol, has delivered a scathing condemnation of Donald Trump's proposed peace plan for Ukraine, describing it as 'surrender dressed up as diplomacy'.
The 51-year-old military veteran, who endured capture, torture and a death sentence at the hands of Russian forces, told the Mail on Sunday that the proposed 28-point plan left him 'sick with anger' and represented an attempt to appease Vladimir Putin rather than achieve genuine peace.
From British Army to Ukrainian Defender
Pinner's connection to Ukraine runs deep. Having served in the British military from age 17, he relocated to Ukraine in 2018 to assist in rebuilding the country's military capabilities following Russia's annexation of Crimea and invasion of the Donbas in 2014.
When Putin launched his full-scale invasion in February 2022, Pinner was among those defending the strategic port city of Mariupol. After a heroic two-month defence against overwhelming odds, he was captured by Russian forces in April 2022.
Pinner suffered starvation and torture during his captivity before being sentenced to death. His freedom was eventually secured in September 2022 with assistance from Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.
Trump's Peace Plan Under Fire
The former Royal Anglian soldier didn't mince words when assessing the proposed peace agreement, stating: 'It's repugnant. I'm sick with anger.'
He elaborated: 'This so-called 28-point peace plan reads less like a strategy for a just, durable settlement and more like an attempt to appease Putin, a blueprint to tie Ukraine's hands, strip away its right to defend itself, and reward an aggressor with no intention of stopping.'
Pinner emphasised the fundamental flaw in any agreement that would disadvantage Ukraine: 'A peace plan that protects the perpetrator and punishes the victim isn't peace. It's surrender dressed up as diplomacy.'
Ukraine's Fighting Spirit and Strategic Position
Despite the challenges, Pinner remains optimistic about Ukraine's prospects, provided Western support continues. He has chosen to remain in Ukraine with his wife Laryssa, whom he met in the country.
'We're not just giving them a bloody nose, we've got them on the ropes,' he asserted. 'We're giving them a few right uppercuts.'
Pinner highlighted successful Ukrainian operations such as Operation Spiderweb, which involved sending lorries laden with drones deep into Russian territory to destroy some of Putin's most valuable bombers.
'They've had a standing count with things like Operation Spiderweb,' he said. 'They aren't dominant at the Black Sea anymore. And now we're looking at Russia being bombed pretty much daily now.'
Addressing concerns about Ukrainian morale, Pinner acknowledged the population's fatigue but insisted: 'There is a fight. There is a will to fight. Ukrainians have not given up.'
He characterised recent corruption scandals as evidence of a 'working democracy' while expressing some reservations about troop numbers.
The Battle for Pokrovsk and Putin's Desperation
While Russia has claimed recent advances in capturing Pokrovsk, a key city in the Donbas region, Pinner questions these assertions. Even if true, he argues it wouldn't represent the major victory Moscow portrays.
He revealed that Russian forces outnumbered Ukrainian defenders 'eight to one' around the city, and that defending it forms part of a strategic plan to 'exhaust the enemy's ability to push on'.
'You've got to keep the motivation to keep going with the goal, which is to drain the enemy of its resources so that Kyiv might live,' Pinner explained.
He provided context for the slow Russian advance: 'I was there a year ago in November, one year ago, and the Russians were eight kilometres out. And if you just take the bare facts of the last year, they have just got eight kilometres into the city, at an incredibly detrimental cost.'
Pinner believes that even if Russia captures Pokrovsk, their forces will be 'completely exhausted, completely depleted' and facing the additional challenge of winter conditions.
Contrary to media narratives focusing on Ukrainian morale issues, Pinner insists Moscow is suffering greater pressure: 'Putin wants that trophy. He needs that trophy to show it to the Russians. I think it's totally under-reported, the pressure Putin is under.'
He pointed to Russia's economic struggles and strategic needs: 'You look at the pressure his economy is under. He needs Pokrovsk, he needs a victory, because otherwise he's going to go into the winter where it all slows down.'
Pinner concluded with a stark assessment of Russia's potential winter prospects: 'You're going to have the bitter winter, and all he's going to go away with this year is body bags, coffins, not really any gains.'
