While President Trump was busy crafting what he called a peace plan for Ukraine, senators at an important security meeting in Canada were having none of it. The Halifax International Security Forum became the stage for a heated showdown over Trump’s 28-point proposal to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
Canadian senators unleashed fierce criticism at Trump’s Ukraine peace proposal, turning a security forum into a diplomatic battleground.
The senators didn’t mince words. They called the plan “Putin-written” and described it as “Russia’s wish list.” Their anger was clear as they criticized what they saw as a terrible deal for Ukraine and a geopolitical mistake for America.
The controversial plan asks Ukraine to give up significant territory in its eastern regions. It’s like asking someone to hand over their house keys to a burglar who broke in. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has repeatedly said no to giving up any land, making this a non-starter from Ukraine’s perspective.
But the territorial losses are just the beginning. The plan would cap Ukraine’s military size and ban the country from joining NATO. Meanwhile, Russia would get a sweet deal with lifted sanctions and a return to the G8. It’s fundamentally rewarding bad behavior on a global scale.
Perhaps most shocking to the senators was the amnesty provision. The plan would forgive everyone involved in the conflict, including Russian officials and military personnel. No war crimes prosecutions would happen, which many see as letting serious criminals walk free.
The drama intensified when senators claimed Secretary of State Marco Rubio had privately called the plan a “Russian wish list.” Rubio publicly denied saying this, creating an awkward he-said-she-said situation. The State Department backed Rubio’s version, but the senators insisted they were telling the truth. Adding to the controversy, Russian President Putin endorsed the peace plan and suggested it could serve as a basis for final peace if accepted by Ukraine and its allies. Senator Angus King compared the proposal to the Munich Pact of 1938, viewing it as dangerous appeasement of aggression.
Things got so tense that the U.S. administration suspended participation of defense officials in forum events. Canadian leaders also pushed back against what they saw as American interference. The ongoing dispute reflects deep concerns about America’s financial health in managing international alliances and foreign policy commitments.
The frozen Russian assets would help rebuild Ukraine under the plan, and Ukraine would hold elections within 100 days. However, critics argue these small benefits don’t outweigh the massive concessions to Russia that would essentially reward Putin’s aggression with territorial gains and international rehabilitation.
