Bipartisan opposition Mounts as Senators Criticize Trump‘s Proposed Ukraine Peace Deal
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia – November 22, 2023 – A chorus of bipartisan criticism is rising from the U.S. Senate regarding a proposed peace plan for Ukraine reportedly acquiescing to significant Russian demands, with both Republican and Democratic senators voicing strong opposition during discussions at the Halifax International Security Forum in Canada this weekend. The plan, welcomed by Russian President Vladimir Putin as a potential “basis of a final peace settlement,” has sparked fears of appeasement and emboldening the Kremlin.
Self-reliant Senator Angus King of Maine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations committee, drew a stark past parallel, comparing the proposal to the 1938 Munich Pact between British Prime Minister Neville chamberlain and Adolf Hitler – a deal widely regarded as a failed attempt at appeasement.
“This is a political justification for Russia claiming eastern Ukraine,” King stated during a panel discussion.
Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina went further, arguing that former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s criticism hadn’t been strong enough. McConnell had released a statement friday asserting that “if administration officials are more concerned with appeasing Putin then securing real peace, then the President ought to find new advisers.”
“We should not do anything that makes (Putin) feel like he has a win here. Honestly, I think what Mitch said was short of what should be said,” Tillis added.
Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, labeled the proposal an “outrage.”
While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not outright reject the plan in a recent address, he emphasized the need for fair treatment and pledged to “work calmly” with Washington and allies during “truly one of the most arduous moments in our history.”
The strong Senate presence at the 17th annual halifax International Security Forum – which gathers approximately 300 military officials, senators, diplomats, and scholars – comes amid heightened tensions between the U.S.and Canada. the Trump administration previously suspended participation of U.S. defense officials in events organized by think tanks, including the Halifax Forum.
Senator Shaheen attributed the large U.S. delegation, in part, to the strained relationship with Canada, exacerbated by President Trump’s trade war and suggestions that Canada should become “the 51st U.S.state.” She noted a significant drop in Canadian tourism to the U.S., impacting border states like her own New Hampshire.
“Ther’s real concern about that strain. that’s one reason why there’s such a big delegation is here,” Shaheen said. She pledged to continue opposing the President’s tariffs and rhetoric, arguing they are “detrimental to Canada and our relationship, but I think they are detrimental globally. They show a lack of respect of sovereign nations.”
