The Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, is set to present his „victory plan“ to EU and NATO leaders on Thursday – a set of measures that he believes could change the course of the war in favor of Kiev. Zelensky is seeking to convince his Western allies to invite Ukraine to join NATO and to provide more military assistance ahead of a challenging winter on the battlefield.
“ Our plan is to strengthen Ukraine, to be strong and ready for diplomacy,“ Zelensky told reporters after arriving for discussions with EU leaders in Brussels. As Zelensky prepared to present his plan in Brussels, Ukraine faced a new wave of drone attacks targeting Kiev and critical energy infrastructure in the south.
The Ukrainian leader partially revealed the measures that he believes could end the war „no later than next year“ in a speech to the Ukrainian parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, on October 16. His five-point plan – which he said has three secret annexes – has already been presented to Ukraine’s key Western allies, including US President Joe Biden and the leaders of the UK, France, Germany, and Italy.
One of Zelensky’s main demands is the „lifting by partners of restrictions on the use of long-range weapons throughout the territory of Ukraine occupied by Russia and on the territory of Russia, as well as on enemy military infrastructure,“ and providing support in „equipping our reserve brigades.“ Zelensky stated on October 17 that he discussed this plan again during a phone call with Biden the day before.
„I am grateful to President Biden, both parties in Congress, and the American people for the $425 million defense package announced today, which includes new air defense systems and long-range weapons,“ Zelensky wrote on X. „We also discussed how our teams will work on the points from the victory plan,“ he added.
The plan, which excludes the cession of Ukrainian territory, also calls for inviting Kiev to join the NATO military alliance and deploying a strategic package of non-nuclear deterrence in Ukraine. While stating that Ukraine will eventually become a member, NATO has not provided a clear deadline, and Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that Ukraine’s intention to join the alliance was one of the reasons for Russia’s invasion.
Reactions from Brussels
Mikhail Podoleak, an advisor to Zelensky, told RFE/RL that Russia has built its entire propaganda campaign against Ukraine’s NATO membership and used this to justify attacks or provocations against Ukraine. „The president (Zelensky) says: ‚Let’s send a clear political signal to Russia that it can no longer impose an ultimatum… saying that this is my zone of influence and that Ukraine cannot be a NATO member,'“ Podoleak said in Brussels.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte stated on October 16 that the „victory plan“ is a „strong signal“ from Zelensky and that allies should „take note“ of it, while refraining from giving his approval. „This would be a bit difficult because there are many aspects that we need to understand better,“ he said. „The plan has many aspects and many political and military issues that we really need to discuss with the Ukrainians to understand what is behind it, to see what we can do, what we cannot do,“ Rutte said in Brussels. „We are in close contact with the allies, with Ukraine, to see how we can take the next steps.“
US Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith told reporters on July 16 that while Ukraine’s path to eventual NATO membership is „irreversible,“ she said, „We are not at the point now where the alliance is discussing sending a short-term invitation.“ EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell told RFE/RL in Brussels on October 16 that he wants to hear the details of the plan directly from Zelensky before commenting. However, he added that Ukraine needs to receive better and stronger security guarantees, as Ukraine’s security is Europe’s security.
The article provides a comprehensive overview of President Zelensky’s „victory plan“ and the reactions from EU and NATO leaders, shedding light on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the efforts to secure peace and stability in the region.