American citizens who have volunteered to support Ukraine's war effort have expressed profound dismay and anger at a leaked peace plan from Donald Trump's administration, branding it a catastrophic betrayal that aligns with Vladimir Putin's demands.
‘Complete Bullshit and a Betrayal’
The strong reaction follows the leak of a 28-point peace proposal, reportedly drafted by Trump envoy Steve Witkoff in negotiations with Kremlin adviser Kirill Dmitriev. The plan, which emerged last week, appears to be a repackaging of Russia's maximalist terms for ending the conflict.
"Complete bullshit and a betrayal by Trump," said an American special forces veteran who has been training Ukrainian troops since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. "But are you even surprised?"
This sentiment is echoed by Republican voices in the US, with Congressman Don Bacon describing the proposal as "gross buffoonery" and accusing the administration of "pushing a surrender plan on Ukraine" that "looks like Russia wrote it."
American Volunteers Feel the Sting
Since the early days of the war nearly four years ago, thousands of foreign nationals, including hundreds if not thousands of Americans, have travelled to Ukraine. They include soldiers, veterans, medics, and trainers, many of whom are Republicans struggling to reconcile their party's leadership with the cause they are supporting.
The same special forces source stated the plan "follows Russia's talking points almost to the letter," and called Witkoff a "Russian sycophant." He expressed concern that Ukraine is being forced into a corner, adding, "I don't think Zelenskyy can take anything close to that deal if it means giving up territory and giving up its own sovereignty."
The proposed concessions are significant. Ukraine would be required to completely cede the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, constitutionally affirm it will never join NATO, and accept severe cuts to the size of its military.
Confusion and Resignation Among Allies
Confusion has also clouded the plan's origins. Republican senator Mike Rounds claimed at the Halifax International Security Forum that Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it a preliminary offer from the Kremlin, a statement Rubio quickly and publicly denied.
Another American working in Ukraine's defence sector expressed sympathy for US diplomats in Kyiv, whom he described as motivated professionals "totally handcuffed" by the political situation.
Steve Andre, a Michigan native who served as a press officer for the Ukrainian military and is now re-enlisting, sees this as part of a broader decay in American global engagement. "The administration doesn't want to take the time and figure out what is actually happening here in the country," he said.
A NATO veteran currently training Ukrainian soldiers alongside former US servicemen was blunt, calling the plan "pathetic" and motivated by financial interests. He described his colleagues as "pretty angry" but long "resigned to losing US support."
He concluded with a scathing assessment of the US leadership: "Trump's [administration] is full of idiot boomers who've never dealt with actual stakes in their entire lives."
