Letters from an American — November 21, 2025

Host: Heather Cox Richardson
Episode Release: November 22, 2025
Theme: The Ukraine “Peace Plan” Leak and the Threat to the Post-WWII International Order

Episode Overview

In this episode, Heather Cox Richardson unpacks the history and ramifications of a controversial “peace plan” circulating in U.S.-Russian-Ukrainian politics. The plan, reportedly pushed by former President Donald J. Trump and originating from Russian and Trump-affiliated envoys, would force Ukraine into concessions heavily favoring Russia. Richardson weaves the historical context of NATO and the post-World War II liberal order into her analysis, warning of profound changes to the global system should such a plan be adopted.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Zelenskyy’s Address and the “Dignity” Dilemma

• [00:00] President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the Ukrainian people, describing the period as one of the most difficult in Ukraine’s recent history.
• Zelenskyy invoked the 2014 “Revolution of Dignity” as he warned of the dire choice between “loss of dignity or the risk of losing a key partner,” referencing a U.S.-brokered 28-point peace plan pressed by Trump’s camp before Thanksgiving.

Notable Quote

• “Ukraine may soon face an extremely difficult choice, either the loss of dignity or the risk of losing a key partner…or the hardest winter yet and the risks that follow.” (Heather Cox Richardson quoting Zelenskyy, [00:25])

2. Content and Origins of the Peace Plan

• The proposal, leaked by Russian insider Kirill Dmitriev (an ally of Vladimir Putin) to Axios’ Barak Ravid, was crafted without input from Ukraine or European representatives.
• The plan aligns with longstanding Russian objectives:
  • Cedes Crimea and much of the Donbas to Russia.
  • Limits Ukrainian military capabilities and ends accountability for Russian war crimes.
  • Grants amnesty to all parties and calls for Europe and the U.S. to finance reconstruction—primarily in areas ceded to Russia.
  • Locks Ukraine out of NATO, requires constitutional changes, and calls for Russia’s reintegration into the G7.
• U.S. and Russian entities would profit from reconstruction, funded by European contributions.

Memorable Moment

• “The plan is a Russian wish list…It erases any and all accountability for the Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians, including well-documented rape, torture and murder.” ([03:00])

3. American, European, and Russian Dynamics

• Congress was “blindsided” by the plan, with reporting indicating Moscow is capitalizing on internal Ukrainian scandals.
• The English version of the plan appears to have been awkwardly translated from Russian, reinforcing suspicions about its origin and intent.
• Richardson’s Analysis: The plan not only hands Russian President Putin significant territorial, economic, and diplomatic victories, but also undermines transatlantic unity by isolating the U.S. from NATO.

4. Historical Context: NATO’s Founding and Purpose

• Richardson traces NATO’s origin to the 1941 Atlantic Charter, emphasizing the alliance’s role in preventing global conflict, promoting disarmament, economic cooperation, and respect for sovereignty after World War II.
• With 32 member states today, NATO has been crucial to maintaining the postwar rules-based order.

Notable Quote

• “They vowed that any attack on one of the signatories would be considered an attack on all, thus deterring war by promising strong retaliation. This system of collective defense has stabilized the world for 75 years.” ([07:05])

5. Russia’s Long Game and U.S. Political Intrigue

• Putin’s ambitions in Ukraine trace back to his 2014 annexation of Crimea and the desire for the industrial regions of eastern Ukraine.
• Richardson revisits Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s 2019 findings: Trump’s campaign manager Paul Manafort, together with Russian operatives, discussed plans for Russia to control eastern Ukraine via a U.S.-brokered peace process.
  • The so-called “Mariupol Plan” would have installed a Russian-backed leader in eastern Ukraine.
  • These efforts continued through at least 2018.

Memorable Moment

• “Putin has been determined to control that land ever since and now it appears Russia is pushing Trump to deliver it.” ([09:15])

6. The Threat to the Postwar Order

• If implemented, the peace plan would signal a retreat from the global system established after WWII—one based on legal norms, alliances (like NATO), and democratic values—ushering in a return to “sphere of influence” politics where major powers carve up smaller states.

Notable Quote

• “This plan…would replace the post-World War II rules based international order with a new version of an older order in the world. Before NATO and the other international institutions that were created after World War II, powerful countries dominated smaller countries which had to do as their powerful neighbors demanded in order to survive.” ([09:55])

Highlighted Quotes & Timestamps

• Zelenskyy on Ukraine’s crossroads:
  “Either the loss of dignity or the risk of losing a key partner…” (Zelenskyy, quoted at [00:25])

• On the true nature of the leaked plan:
  “The plan is a Russian wish list…It erases any and all accountability for the Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians, including well-documented rape, torture and murder.” (Richardson, [03:00])

• NATO's fundamental purpose:
  “They vowed that any attack on one of the signatories would be considered an attack on all, thus deterring war by promising strong retaliation. This system of collective defense has stabilized the world for 75 years.” (Richardson, [07:05])

• The larger risk for Europe and the postwar order:
  “This plan…would replace the post-World War II rules based international order with a new version of an older order in the world…” (Richardson, [09:55])

Conclusion & Takeaways

Richardson’s narration underscores the gravity of the leaked “peace plan,” situating it at the intersection of U.S. domestic politics, Russian expansionism, and global security. The episode warns that acquiescing to such demands would not just “sell out” Ukraine but would dismantle decades of collective security, returning the world to a system where might makes right.