Trump’s ‘peace plan’ for Ukraine is just a Russian wishlist | Opinion

Ukraine “Peace Plan”

What kind of world do we live in when first we hear that the 28-point Ukraine “peace plan” was written by the U.S. negotiators but then, when the inevitable blow-back and outrage ensue, some in the administration immediately shift to - “Oh no, this wasn’t our proposal, it was merely Russia’s wish list that they gave us!”

The fact that we can’t tell the difference between the two tells us volumes about President Donald Trump’s intentions. He wants Russia to take over Ukraine and then he and Putin will divide the spoils. The next step — already underway — will be for Russia to advance eastward into Poland and then into other Eastern European countries, and for Trump to pull America out of NATO to make it all possible. Why any open-eyed, half-educated person can’t see what’s happening is beyond me.

Couple that with the takeover of American cities by ICE and the die is cast!

Jim Porter, Danville

Kremlin’s peace plan

The terms and time frame of the peace proposal for Ukraine put forward by the President is a travesty of both process and policy. When such a proposal is developed without the input of Ukraine, NATO, or Congress, how can our key allies, any other country or the American people have any respect for such a farce? This is simply the policymaking process of an out-of-touch would-be king.

It undermines the core elements of the NATO alliance, betrays Ukraine, and looks more like a Kremlin wish-list than a “peace plan.” If its goal was to embolden an already overly aggressive Kremlin, it would earn an A+. It has been suggested that Secretary of State Marco Rubio “wished to distance himself from the process.” If so, a threat of resignation would be the only “distancing” with any guts in it.

T. Kerby Neill, Lexington

Green’s resignation

Marjorie Taylor Green is going to resign.

She does not want to run against someone who will be funded by millions of dollars by President Donald Trump to run against her.

Trump has turned against her because she has found the light.

The light reached her with honest, brutal stories from victims of sexual abuse and trafficking by disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. She sat with these women and heard their truth and their pain.

She heard from her constituents who are having a tough time with health insurance and food stability. She knows it is the truth.

The light has exposed Trump and his blatant lack of compassion for those that are hurting.

What changed her heart? The light of truth and compassion.

We know what we know by what we read, what we listen to, and what the people that we are around are saying and doing. It infiltrates our being, our thinking. It becomes us.

I believe in that light. I know it can happen. I believe in the inherent good of all people.

Keep that truth as a light that can reach others. Compassion can lead the way. Sit down, have the conversations. Reach out with love.

Be real and be that truth that speaks out.

Jessica Bollinger, Lexington

Climate conference

How very sad! For the first time in the history of the United Nations Conference of Parties (UN COP) Climate Summits, the U.S. – the world’s largest historical carbon emitter-- has not sent an official delegation to the talks.

What is President Donald Trump doing instead? He’s providing a lavish welcome to Mohammed bin Salman, prime minister of Saudi Arabia, at the White House. Our CIA determined that MBS was behind the horrific assassination and dismemberment of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. When a reporter asked MBS about the assassination, Trump interrupted and said, “Things happen.”

Trump is all about making business deals, including selling US F-35 fighter jets to the Saudis, but he couldn't care less about human rights and climate change.

Jerry Nichols, Lexington

Trump delusions

President Donald Trump’s call for the execution of Congress members attempting to protect the rule of law further exposes his delusions of dictatorial grandeur, his disregard for the Constitution, and his unhinged mental derangement. And yet, GOP Congress members continue to defend, excuse, deny, and ignore his atrocious behavior.

Trump rules as one above the law. He illegally pitted our military against U.S. citizens. He deployed our military to conduct illegal boat bombing and is threatening an illegal Venezuela invasion. Trump has weakened our national security by his traitorous relationships with foreign adversaries. He and his family have been selling off our national security and dignity to enrich themselves, raking in billions.

Trump’s call for execution endangers the lives of six Congress members. Since his pardoned-loyal-proud boy-followers have proven willing to commit violent crimes on his behalf, what would stop them now? We have a maniac wolf guarding the hen house, and it appears our sycophant GOP Congress members could not care less.

I truly believe that if the “red coats were coming” Congress members would rather kiss Trump’s feet than act to defend and protect our republic. So utterly shameful!

Beverly C. Johnson-Miller, Lexington

Lexington dance

Recently, a Herald-Leader opinion column described the Lexington dance community as lacking, stating that the Latin dance scene is not up to the standards of Louisville and Cincinnati. I think that for its size, Lexington does a good job with Latin dance, and where Lexington obviously punches well above its class is with West Coast Swing. This improvisational dance form has a huge following in Lexington. Classes at Bluegrass Ballroom are packed with students of all ages.

And it’s no wonder, with instructors like Abigail Roach, who is racking up first place finishes in international All-Star level competitions like the 2025 Swing Dance Mania and DCSX events. Abigail, along with partner Andrew Roach, has also gotten first place in Rising Star competitions at Derby City Swing, Swing Fling, and Swing City Chicago. With wins like this, the intensive training of local dance teachers is evident.

Furthermore, I have personally seen dancers from Louisville and Cincinnati come to Lexington because of these dance instructors, who are, in addition to their skill, also excellent at making everyone feel welcomed. I challenge anyone to truly prove that Lexington’s social dance scene is anything but vibrant and growing, particularly with West Coast Swing.

Alice Wasielewski, Lexington

Sports betting

The recent column by former Kentucky State Rep. Adam Koenig raised a critical issue. While calling for improvements to the legal gaming framework, he highlighted how prediction market platforms have blurred the lines between financial trading and sports betting. These platforms use clever branding, calling wagers on game outcomes “contracts” or “trades” when it is betting plain and simple. They sidestep state-regulated laws, safeguards, and tax obligations that licensed sportsbooks must abide by.

It is not fair to traditional, state-licensed operators that pay for oversight, contribute tax revenue, and accept limits and protections, while prediction markets exploit federal regulation to offer essentially the same product without the same accountability.

Moreover, this discrepancy undermines state efforts to provide responsible gaming safeguards, protect minors, and monitor for predatory practices. Regulation is about ensuring a level playing field and encouraging responsible gaming. Until federal and state regulators close this loophole, residents will face a system where some actors operate in a regulatory gray zone.

Fortunately, Koenig’s column sounded the alarm. It’s time for lawmakers and regulators to act to ensure that any entity offering wagers on athletic outcomes abides by the same protections and oversight that govern traditional sportsbooks.

John F. Cox

Political honesty

On occasion, politicians let the truth slip out. We can gain some insight regarding how state legislators view the average citizen’s views or concerns from a recent quote from House Speaker David Osborne, R-Prospect. “… the legislature can make policy however we want to make it, so it doesn’t really ultimately matter.”

This self-serving thinking by our legislators about issues affecting people may reflect the reason so many people are both disappointed in and disassociated from politics and politicians.

Charles Myers, Lexington

Profit-driven policies

Am I the only person that can see what is happening to our world? It is totally controlled by profits. Profits by health care, insurance companies, financial institutions, oil and petroleum industries, and our self-serving government officials. They alone run our world. They become more wealthy and we suffer from it. Many hospitals associate themselves with a church. That gives them the “not for profit” status.

In your city, do you not see how all “not for profit” hospitals are buying all properties in their path? Yet still the cost rises. Their charges for your healthcare are out of control, as are all the charges by the previous mentioned industries. They go unchecked! Do you not see the relationship? I am not a writer, but to me the correlation is clear. I am not a highly educated person, but even I can see this. It is capitalism at the very worst. We have created a world where you will either live financially ruined, or you will die broke.

James Adkins, Lexington

American racism

From 1619 to 2025, white racism has been one of America’s worst transgressions.

President Donald Trump should tell our nation how he worked out the issue of race in his life. How did he come to the conclusion that the white race is inherently superior to the races of color?

Why does Trump and his Republican Party want America to be white again? A loving Creator God (Jesus) would neither create one particular race superior nor inferior to the other races.

Trump should be a president for all our people, not just wealthy white people. His words and deeds show his anti-Afro-American mindset.

He puts down the many outstanding contributions Blacks made over the years in building a better America. He sees no value in teaching Black history in our schools.

If we are going to be a great nation, we the people, must never elect a racist president again.

Paul L. Whiteley Sr., Louisville

Edited by Liz Carey