U.S. Peace Mediation: Russia Must Not be Allowed to Gain from War

Editorial

15:00 JST, May 5, 2025

The peace mediation being carried out by U.S. President Donald Trump over Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has run into difficulties.

While seeking to mend relations with Ukraine, Trump is also attempting to reach a compromise with a peace proposal that favors Russia. In his rush to make achievements, Trump should not allow Russia to gain from war.

The United States and Ukraine have signed an economic agreement centered on joint development of Ukraine’s mineral resources. The two countries will establish a fund to be used for Ukraine’s reconstruction. Washington is going to recover an amount equivalent to new military aid for Kyiv from the fund’s revenues, according to the countries.

The agreement was initially scheduled to be reached in February by Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. But it was postponed because the two leaders verbally sparred during their meeting.

It appears the United States agreed to the deal with the aim of demonstrating diplomatic achievements as 100 days have passed since the second Trump administration took office.

There is still no clear path to a ceasefire. This is because the United States called for an early ceasefire and presented its peace proposal to Ukraine and Russia, only to find they rejected it.

The United States has not disclosed the details of its proposal. However, according to U.S. and European media reports, the proposal includes recognition of Crimea, which Russia took away from Ukraine in 2014, as Russian territory, and recognition of Russia’s de facto control over the four eastern and southern regions of Ukraine that it has illegally occupied.

Furthermore, the proposal includes a provision requiring Ukraine to promise not to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in the future, according to the reports.

This is tantamount to accepting Russia’s acts of aggression. It is only natural that Ukraine would not agree to the proposal.

Russia is also reluctant to accept the peace plan at this point. Sensing that Trump is in a rush to achieve an agreement, Russia appears to be deliberately prolonging the negotiations in order to draw further concessions. It is a typical tactic of Russia to take advantage of its opponents’ weakness.

If Russia is not held responsible for its aggression against Ukraine, a violation of international law, it will set a dangerous precedent for changing the status quo by force, and the international order will collapse. The United States should explore ways to respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and to prevent Russia from launching another aggression against Ukraine.

Russia and North Korea have officially acknowledged that North Korean troops have joined the fighting in the western Russia region of Kursk, making the Ukraine war a direct issue for East Asian security.

China has repeatedly carried out coercive acts by force in areas around Japan. Trump should realize that how the fighting in Ukraine ends will determine the stability and security of the world.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, May 5, 2025)