Trump Associate Suggests Ukraine Policy Should Emphasize Peace Over Territorial Reclamation

An individual who previously advised President-elect Donald Trump stated that the forthcoming administration intends to prioritize securing peace in Ukraine, as opposed to facilitating the nation’s efforts to reclaim areas currently under Russian occupation. Bryan Lanza, who was involved in Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, informed the BBC that the new administration would seek Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s perspective on a “realistic vision for peace.” He asserted, “And if President Zelensky comes to the table and says, well we can only have peace if we have Crimea, he shows to us that he’s not serious,” adding, “Crimea is gone.” A spokesperson representing Trump disassociated the president-elect from these comments, stating that Mr Lanza “does not speak for him.” Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014. Eight years subsequent to this, it initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and has since occupied territory in the eastern part of the country. The president-elect has consistently articulated that his primary objective is to conclude the conflict and halt what he describes as a depletion of US resources, specifically military assistance provided to Ukraine. However, he has not yet disclosed the specific methods he plans to employ to achieve this, and he is anticipated to receive divergent perspectives regarding Ukraine’s future from his various advisers. Mr Lanza, who served as a political adviser to Trump during both his 2016 and 2024 campaigns, did not refer to regions in eastern Ukraine, but he asserted that recovering Crimea from Russia was impractical and “not the goal of the United States.” He conveyed to the BBC World Service’s Weekend programme, “When Zelensky says we will only stop this fighting, there will only be peace once Crimea is returned, we’ve got news for President Zelensky: Crimea is gone.” He further added, “And if that is your priority of getting Crimea back and having American soldiers fight to get Crimea back, you’re on your own.” The United States has never dispatched American soldiers to engage in combat in Ukraine, nor has Kyiv solicited American troops to fight on its behalf. Ukraine has exclusively sought American military assistance to equip its own forces. Mr Lanza expressed profound respect for the Ukrainian populace, describing their “hearts are made of lions.” Nevertheless, he stated that the US priority was “peace and to stop the killing.” He elaborated, “What we’re going to say to Ukraine is, you know what you see? What do you see as a realistic vision for peace. It’s not a vision for winning, but it’s a vision for peace. And let’s start having the honest conversation.” In reply, Dmytro Lytvyn, an adviser to Zelensky, characterized Mr Lanza’s comments as shifting the onus for peace onto Ukraine, asserting that it was “Putin who wants more war.” He stated, “Putin loses most of his people in assaults at the front. What does this indicate? It is obvious that he wants to fight on.” Lytvyn continued, “Ukraine has been offering peace since 2022 – there are quite realistic proposals. And it is Russia that must be made to hear that peace is needed and that peace must be reliable, so that there is simply no repetition of Russian strikes.” A spokesperson for Trump’s transition team, responsible for preparing the incoming administration for its duties, clarified that Mr Lanza was “a contractor for the campaign” but “does not work for President Trump and does not speak for him.” Upon assuming office, Trump is anticipated to manage peace negotiations with a select group of close advisers. An unnamed National Security Council aide, who previously served under Trump, informed the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, stating: “Anyone – no matter how senior in Trump’s circle – who claims to have a different view or more detailed window into his plans on Ukraine simply doesn’t know what he or she is talking about.” This individual further remarked that the former president “makes his own calls on national security issues” and had acted in this manner “many times in the moment.” Following his election victory, Trump engaged in a conversation with Zelensky, a call in which billionaire Elon Musk also participated. A source within Ukraine’s presidential office conveyed to the BBC that the “good lengthy conversation” between Zelensky and Trump extended for “about half an hour.” The source added, “It was not really a conversation to talk about very substantial things, but overall it was very warm and pleasant.” Trump’s Democratic adversaries have accused him of fostering close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin and contend that his proposed strategy for the war constitutes a surrender for Ukraine, which would jeopardize the entirety of Europe. The prime minister of Estonia informed the BBC that should Ukraine withdraw from the conflict, “Russia’s appetite will only grow.” Kristen Michal stated on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: “The question probably is that if you start giving up, then you should be prepared to give more.” Michal further explained, “For Russia it’s quite understandable that if you draw a line somewhere and use the force to back it up, they will back up too, but not by politeness, that’s not the plan.” Last month, Zelensky unveiled a “victory plan” to the Ukrainian parliament, which encompassed a refusal to relinquish Ukraine’s territories and sovereignty. Throughout his election campaign, Trump frequently asserted his ability to conclude the war between Russia and Ukraine “in a day,” though he never provided additional specifics. A document authored by two of his former national security chiefs in May suggested that the US ought to persist in supplying weapons, but condition this support on Kyiv engaging in peace negotiations with Russia. The paper indicated that Ukraine should not abandon its aspirations of recovering all its territory from Russian occupation, but it should conduct negotiations based on the existing front lines. Earlier this week, Putin extended congratulations to Trump on his election triumph and remarked that Trump’s assertion of being able to help end the war in Ukraine “deserves attention at least.” Mr Lanza additionally criticized the assistance provided to Ukraine by the Biden-Harris administration and European nations since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. He stated, “The reality on the ground is [that] the European nation states and President Biden did not give Ukraine the ability and the arms to win this war at the very beginning and failed to lift the restrictions for Ukraine to win.” Earlier this year, the US House of Representatives sanctioned a $61 billion (£49 billion) military aid package for Ukraine, intended to assist in combating Russia’s invasion. The US has served as the foremost arms provider to Ukraine, having delivered or committed weapons and equipment valued at $55.5 billion (£41.5 billion) between February 2022 and the close of June 2024, as reported by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, a German research organization. Clarification: This article has been modified to indicate that Bryan Lanza ceased his role as an adviser to the Trump campaign following the election. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external sites. 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