The draft US-Iran ceasefire memorandum (MoU), published on June 17, amounts to an unprecedented US capitulation, according to a Kyiv Post opinion piece. The agreement grants Iran massive economic and political concessions while essentially restoring only the status quo before Trump’s war. Trump sidelined allies, especially Israel, and ignored diplomatic expertise to stage a personal victory, the opinion piece argues.
The Terms of the Agreement
According to the published draft, the US and Iran declare “an immediate and permanent end to the war on all fronts.” However, the clause contains loopholes favoring Tehran: It includes “allies” and Lebanon, prohibiting the US from authorizing Israeli strikes on Hezbollah – even though Israel was not involved in the negotiations. Both sides also commit to reopening the Strait of Hormuz to full shipping within 30 days, which was open before Trump’s war. Iran reaffirms its commitment never to produce nuclear weapons – a pledge already made in the 2015 multilateral agreement with Barack Obama.
Economic Concessions to Iran
The economic benefits for Iran are extraordinary: The US pledges a development fund of at least $300 billion, the lifting of all sanctions, exemptions for Iranian crude oil and petrochemical exports, and the release of all frozen Iranian assets worth tens of billions of dollars. The agreement is to be endorsed by a binding UN Security Council resolution, giving China and Russia veto power. It makes no mention of Iranian proxy forces abroad, ballistic missiles, or the fate of enriched uranium.
Lessons for Ukraine
The opinion piece draws clear conclusions for Ukraine: The US under Trump is not reliable. Trump abandoned his most loyal ally, Netanyahu, and his administration acts incompetently and ignorantly. Trump makes all decisions himself and is allergic to competence and knowledge. His motive is not national or allied interest but self-staging – he wanted to end the war on his 80th birthday. Ukraine must prevent this “egocentric muddler” from exerting influence. Trump loves dictators and cannot stand democracy and the rule of law. The best strategy for Kyiv is to keep Trump and his advisers out of the war against Russia.
Source: www.kyivpost.com
