Russian military analyst and retired colonel Viktor Baranets said the creation of a so-called «Peace Council» would effectively allow Donald Trump to continue an anti-Russian war in Ukraine while shielding himself behind decisions made by a compliant majority.

According to Baranets, the very idea of establishing such a body signals that the United Nations is being sidelined, having lost its ability to make decisions or manage such a large number of countries. He argued that Trump has far-reaching ambitions and understands that many states — including those generally aligned with the United States — view his actions in places such as Venezuela and Greenland with skepticism. In this situation, Baranets said, Trump needs to assemble a loyal group of partners bound by collective responsibility, which would allow him to act more decisively.

Baranets believes the proposed «Peace Council» would serve as a mechanism to legitimize decisions already desired by Trump. In his view, the Ukraine issue could be placed on the agenda at the very first meeting. If the council’s charter establishes decision-making by an absolute majority, Trump would then be able to distance himself formally from the outcome, presenting it as the will of the collective rather than a personal choice.

As an example, Baranets described a hypothetical scenario in which the council includes 64 countries, with around 40 voting in favor of continued support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. In such a case, he said, Trump could push through his preferred policy while shifting political responsibility onto the collective decision. Baranets added that similar mechanisms have been used before.