KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky laid out at least part of his plan to win the war against Russia on Wednesday, after weeks of hinting at the blueprint to lukewarm Western allies, including U.S. President Joe Biden. It was scheduled to be revealed in the Diet. .
The plan consists of military, political, diplomatic and economic elements and is seen by many as a last resort for Ukraine to strengthen its hand in negotiating a future ceasefire with Russia. But so far, no country has publicly supported it or commented on its feasibility.
President Zelensky is keen to have a “victory plan” in place before the new US president is sworn in next year, but Ukrainian officials say neither presidential candidate will necessarily improve Kiev's position in the war.
Zelenskiy's presentation to parliament, announced by presidential aide Serhiy Leshchenko on Monday, came at a dark time for Ukraine. As the Russian army inches closer to a strategically important victory near the logistical hub of Pokrovsk, it is suffering losses on the Eastern Front.
Kiev outnumbers Russia in every way. The country is struggling to replenish troops in an unpopular mobilization campaign. Ammunition stocks are limited. And Russia's superiority in the air is wreaking havoc on Ukraine's defenses.
It is unclear how much of his winning plan Mr. Zelenskiy will reveal on Wednesday. Leshchenko indicated he intended to make it fully public, but other officials suggested the president would not divulge the most sensitive elements to all members of Congress.
In any case, this plan essentially leaves Kiev's future in the hands of the allies. Without it, any deal with Russia would almost certainly be detrimental to Ukraine, which has lost a fifth of its territory and tens of thousands of lives in the conflict. It is unlikely that Kiev will ever recover the occupied territories or receive compensation for the widespread destruction throughout the country.
Some elements of the plan have already been revealed. Make Ukraine a member of NATO. Allowing Russia to use Western long-range weapons to attack deep inside Russia. Provide resources to strengthen Ukraine's air and other defenses and tighten sanctions against Russia.
President Zelensky told reporters that Ukraine's surprise military invasion of Russia's Kursk region in August was also part of the plan. He said the 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) of territory occupied by Ukraine was likely to become a bargaining chip in negotiations with Russia, along with other provisions of the plan.
Article 5 of NATO states that an attack against one member state is considered an attack against all member states. Ukrainian officials have argued that joining the alliance would deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from invading the country again. Western leaders have so far been reluctant to secure an invitation, fearing escalation from Putin.
Ukrainian officials were expecting feedback from their Western allies at a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Liaison Group at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. The meeting brings together defense leaders from more than 50 partner nations to coordinate arms assistance to the war effort. The summit, scheduled for last weekend, was postponed after Biden canceled his attendance due to Hurricane Milton in the United States.
Zelensky then toured Western capitals and outlined his vision to other key allies. But so far no one has shown any signs of supporting the plan. Some expressed concern that President Zelenskiy had set a tight deadline of just three months to adopt the blueprint's main tenets at the end of September.
So far, the United States has been Kiev's main supporter during the two-and-a-half year war. But Mr. Biden has balked at requests to use long-range weapons to attack specific targets inside Russia, fearing the possibility of escalating the war. Meanwhile, the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in the Middle East threatens to involve Iran and distracts the US government.
Many expect Democratic candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris to continue Biden's policies and maintain the status quo. Under the Biden administration, U.S. assistance to Kiev, while substantial, has consistently been too slow to bring about significant changes in Ukraine's military.
Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump has said only that he would end the war quickly, without saying how.
Meanwhile, Brazil and China have proposed alternative peace plans, which President Zelenskiy has rejected, saying he would simply suspend the war and give Russia time to shore up its battered military and defense industry.
