Trump's Ukraine Peace Plan Faces Hurdles as Russia Presses for Advantage

As President-elect Trump prepares to address the conflict, Ukraine's battlefield struggles and Russia's demands complicate potential negotiations.

Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to impose maximalist demands, including Ukraine ceding territory and abandoning NATO aspirations, which Kyiv rejects as unacceptable.
Ukraine's military faces significant challenges, including manpower shortages and depleted resources, while Russian forces gain ground and target critical infrastructure as winter approaches.
President-elect Trump has pledged to end the war and is urged to strengthen Ukraine's position by escalating military aid and leveraging economic pressure against Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signaled openness to a ceasefire that could involve ceding occupied territories in exchange for NATO security guarantees for unoccupied regions.
NATO has prioritized protecting Ukraine's infrastructure, with increased air defense support, as Russia intensifies drone and missile strikes on civilian and energy targets.