The Washington Post reported on Sunday that former president Donald Trump has privately said he could end Russia’s war in Ukraine by pressuring Ukraine to give up some territory, citing people familiar with the plan. The revelation prompted some criticisms. According to the Post, experts say that Trump's "idea would reward Russian President Vladimir Putin and condone the violation of internationally recognized borders by force." That seemed to be a popular assumption on social media, as well. ALSO READ: A criminologist explains why keeping Trump from the White House is all that matters Dem House aide Aaron Fritschner said the revealed plan is just giving Putin exactly what he wants. "Donald Trump’s 'secret plan' to end the war in Ukraine is literally to just give Putin everything he wants," Fritschner wrote Sunday. Legal analyst Marcy Wheeler, of EmptyWheel, also weighed in on Trump's plan. "I'm really not sure how this purported Trump plan to give Russia parts of Ukraine differs from the plan Kilimnik pitched Manafort in 2016," she wrote. "Which is to say any discussion of it should remind that it was part of a seeming quid pro quo back then." MSNBC political analyst Rick Tyler had this to say: "Appeaser Neville Chamberlain Would be proud of Trump’s weakness. Inside Donald Trump’s secret plan to end the Ukraine-Russia war." Columnist Ian Birrell echoed those sentiments: "Trump’s secret plan to end the Ukraine-Russia war turns out to be rewarding Putin by letting him keep all his stolen land in Crimea and Donbas," he wrote on X. "Pitiful." Longtime Trump aide Jason Miller pushed back on the claims made in the Washington Post piece. "100% fake news," he wrote. "A couple random people pop off at Beltway nerdfests and the Washington Post makes it sound like they’re insiders with secret access to the plans. The reality: unless you hear it from President Trump, it’s just speculation!"

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