Volodymyr Zelenskyy unveils ‘victory plan’ to Ukrainian parliament
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky presented his long-anticipated “victory plan” to Ukrainian parliament on Wednesday.
The plan, which consists of five points and three additional “secret” points shared only with certain partners, would be a bridge toward future peace talks with Russia, Zelenskyy told lawmakers in Kyiv, as he aims to bolster Ukraine’s position enough to end the war.
At the heart of Zelenskyy’s plan is Ukraine’s desire for an invitation to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which would be a precursor to full NATO membership.
Zelenskyy said granting Ukraine an invitation would be a “testament of (allies’) determination” to support Ukraine. “An invitation is a strong decision that requires nothing but determination,” he said.
It also outlines provisions to strengthen Ukraine’s defence, implement a non-nuclear strategic deterrence package and grow Ukraine’s economy.
“If we start implementing this victory plan now, we may be able to end the war no later than next year,” Zelenskyy said in a plea to his own lawmakers and more crucially, Ukraine’s backers abroad.
Commenting on Ukraine’s victory plan on Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a true peace plan would require Kyiv to “sober up” and realise “the futility of the policy they are pursuing.”
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Meanwhile, on the ground Ukraine’s troops are having trouble holding back Russia’s military might, especially in the eastern Donetsk region where they are gradually being pushed back.
Though Russia’s gains have been incremental, its steady forward movement is slowly adding up and Ukraine keenly feels the need for more large-scale Western help.
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