The bones of a Trump package for Ukraine are emerging

The first inkling of Donald Trump's plan to end the war in Ukraine makes it clear it will be a thunderous defeat for Kyiv, a victory for Moscow and a future long-term burden for Europe. Under the proposal leaked to The Wall Street Journal, all the territory seized and occupied by Russia, including Crimea, grabbed in 2014, would be granted to Moscow for ever, with an 800-mile-wide demilitarised zone dividing Russian occupied ground from Ukraine's reduced sovereignty, to be manned and paid for by the UK, Germany, France and other European nations. So very Trump. The US would continue to give Ukraine enough weapons to deter Russia from any further advances but would not allow Ukraine to join Nato, possibly ever, but certainly for 20 years. I think Putin will go for it, and Zelensky will have no choice but to agree. As for Europe, the various governments will also have little choice. They have always said they would back Ukraine for as long as it took, echoing Joe Biden's pledge. So they will have to stand up and be counted. The only thing that's not clear in this leaked plan is who pays for the reconstruction of Ukraine's towns and cities and energy infrastructure. Europe again? The bills are going to be huge and will seriously undermine the new Labour government's economic strategy in the UK. I doubt Keir Starmer and his foreign secretary, David Lammy, will be able to say no to Trump. The best thing about the Trump plan, if it comes to pass as rapidly as he wants, will be an end to the appalling death and destruction in Ukraine. That, at least, whatever the pain for Zelensky, will be welcome.