A proposed peace framework floated ahead of a high-stakes meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy drew sharp criticism from Lt. Col. Berney Flowers, who argued on Newsmax Saturday that Kyiv lacks the leverage to dictate terms after years of battlefield losses and heavy reliance on U.S. support.
Flowers, of the National Center for Public Policy Research, questioned the viability of a proposed 20-point peace plan attributed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, arguing that Ukraine is not in a position to make demands as diplomatic efforts intensify around a possible negotiated settlement with Russia.
Flowers appeared on "Wake Up America Weekend" as discussion mounted ahead of an expected meeting between Zelenskyy and Donald Trump at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
The White House has said the talks are scheduled for Sunday afternoon and will focus on some of the most politically sensitive elements of a U.S.-backed peace proposal, including territorial concessions, security guarantees, and the possible creation of a demilitarized zone in eastern Ukraine.
Asked about reports that the plan could involve a Ukrainian troop withdrawal from parts of the east and the establishment of new security arrangements, Flowers dismissed the proposal as unrealistic given the current balance of power.
"As far as this new peace plan, well, you know, the Ukrainians have lost 1 million men, either lost or killed. Not good. They're not in a position to make dictates here. This 20-point peace plan, from what I can see, is a wish list from someone who has no power. So we need to get out of this," he said.
"We need to get out of this fast. We're fighting the Russians, and the Russians are on their home turf. They're not going to back down. They're not going to give in. And we wasted too much American blood and treasure in this process."
Flowers also cautioned viewers against assuming that public reporting fully reflects conditions on the ground, suggesting that the reality of the conflict may differ from what is presented in daily news coverage.
"Well, the bottom line is we've got a lot of [U.S.] people doing a lot of things over there, and what happens in the news, what we hear in the news isn't always 100% true. So I'll just leave it like that."
He added that the financial cost of U.S. involvement has been substantial, arguing that domestic priorities have been sidelined as billions of dollars flowed overseas.
"But we have lost a lot of treasure that those billions of dollars could be used here in Baltimore, New York, Atlanta…" he said.
The upcoming Trump-Zelenskyy meeting follows weeks of intensified diplomacy that began in November with the circulation of a broader twenty-eight-point U.S.-drafted framework developed with input from Russian officials.
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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