European leaders are confronting a critical juncture as they gather at the G20 summit in Johannesburg, forced to respond to Donald Trump's controversial 28-point 'peace' ultimatum for Ukraine that heavily favours Russian interests. The proposal, demanding Ukraine's surrender of territory and military capacity, represents what one senior Western security source describes as a moment to "just tell him to fuck off" rather than continue diplomatic appeasement.
The Authoritarian Shift in American Leadership
The United States under President Trump is undergoing a radical transformation that threatens its democratic foundations and global leadership role. America's complex constitutional structures are being systematically dismantled, with the judiciary, security forces, and media increasingly serving an authoritarian agenda. This erosion of democracy means the US now more closely resembles Vladimir Putin's Russia than a traditional Western democracy, creating an urgent need for European allies to establish military and intelligence independence.
Trump's peace plan, developed between his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian businessman Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, demands significant concessions from Ukraine. The proposal requires Ukraine to surrender pre-prepared defensive lines in Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson provinces, halve its armed forces, permanently abandon NATO membership ambitions, and accept Belarus-style vassal status under the Kremlin.
Questionable Deal-Making and Profit Motives
The controversial plan includes a reconstruction fund using frozen Kremlin assets that would see American companies receiving 50% of profits from a $100 billion investment. This arrangement follows an earlier minerals deal signed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with the Trump administration that gives American interests control over half the profits from Ukraine's untapped mineral resources.
Steve Witkoff's involvement has raised serious security concerns, with the envoy reportedly using his personal cell phone during visits to Moscow and Tel Aviv where contents are likely compromised in real time. Despite Dmitriev being under US sanctions that make business dealings illegal for Americans, Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner participated in discussions, highlighting the administration's disregard for established protocols.
The same US team behind the Ukraine proposal previously developed the Gaza ceasefire deal that failed to achieve lasting peace while effectively outsourcing Israeli control of Gaza to foreign armies without Palestinian participation.
Europe's Strategic Response and Future Independence
With Trump imposing a Thursday deadline for Ukraine to accept his terms, European leaders face a fundamental reassessment of their relationship with the United States. Former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas articulated the emerging European position, stating that any peace plan must have Ukrainian and European support to succeed, while condemning Russia's "increasingly brazen" hybrid actions in Europe as "state sponsored terrorism."
The European Union and United Kingdom have been preparing for potential intelligence cutoff from Washington, recognising America can no longer be trusted as a reliable ally. The recommended strategy involves neither confrontation nor submission but calculated indifference - treating Trump's demands like a toddler's tantrum by ignoring rather than engaging with unreasonable ultimatums.
As Western sources indicate, the time has arrived for Europe, Canada, the UK and other allies to establish genuine military and intelligence independence from a United States that appears committed to undermining both its own democracy and international security frameworks.
