Former U.S. national security adviser John Bolton renewed sharp criticism Sunday of the 28-point peace proposal advanced by Donald Trump to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, calling the reasoning behind it a "mystery" and the approach "incoherent."
Bolton Says Trump’s Peace Push Lacks Coherent Strategy
In a post on X on Sunday, Bolton wrote, “What precipitated the latest effort to produce a Russia-Ukraine agreement remains a mystery. What is not mysterious is how typically Trumpian it is, featuring incoherent strategy, haphazard negotiations, and ignorance of facts on the ground.”
Bolton shared the message while citing an op-ed he wrote for UK’s Telegraph on Saturday, where he argued that U.S. policy on Ukraine under Trump has "descended into chaos," wrapped in sales-style optimism about an "imminent deal" that, in his view, does not actually exist.
In that column, Bolton said he believes a leaked call between Trump ally Steve Witkoff and Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov is authentic and shows Witkoff effectively working in Moscow's interests rather than acting as a neutral go-between.
Leaked Call Suggests Peace Plan Pressures Ukraine
Bolton argues that the Trump-backed proposal amounted to a take-it-or-leave-it demand on Ukraine, "accept Trump's plan or continue to fight his little heart out," he wrote. With U.S. officials reportedly warning Kyiv it could face imminent defeat, Bolton argues Ukraine is being pushed toward concessions on borders and territory from a position of weakness.
The Trump administration and its allies have defended the framework as a realistic path to stop the fighting, allow Ukraine to move toward European Union membership and secure a cease-fire, even as European officials have condemned the draft as a "Kremlin's wish list." Sen. Marco Rubio has argued that ending the war will require "difficult but necessary concessions" from both sides.
Bolton Warns Of Wider Pattern On Autocrats
Bolton also drew a parallel with recent U.S. moves on China and Taiwan, arguing that Trump's deference to Moscow in Ukraine mirrors his deference to Beijing, as evidenced by his reported urging of Japan's new prime minister to retract comments on Taiwan.
The comments also arrive after Bolton previously said that Trump "wants to make any deal he can, and claim a Nobel Peace Prize," warning that the president is reluctant to back tougher sanctions on Russia if they might jeopardize talks.
Image via Shutterstock/ paparazzza
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