KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged publicly for the first time Wednesday that Western countries are increasing pressure to negotiate with Russia, which could be unfavorable to Kiev. He suggested this and clarified the main points to the members. His Victory Plan – His blueprint to pave the way for a just peace in Ukraine.
President Zelensky told the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, that in “private communications with Ukraine,” partners are increasingly referring to “negotiations” and using the word “justice” much less frequently. He spoke to members of Congress.
President Zelenskyy drew long applause when he said Ukraine was not prepared for a “frozen conflict” or “any trade-offs over territory or sovereignty.” The winning plan is shrouded in secrecy as President Zelensky presented it to key allies, including U.S. President Joe Biden, in recent weeks, but it comes as Ukraine looks to discuss future negotiating scenarios with Russia as conditions on the battlefield look grim. This is a way to strengthen your own hands.
The president also raised his focus on Ukraine, with recent claims that North Korea is sending military personnel to support Russia’s war effort as well as supplies of ammunition, and that Iran and China are also supporting Moscow. repeated the claim.
FILE – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg conclude a joint press conference on July 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
Mr. Zelenksy said his plan to win the fight against Russian aggression could bring peace next year, but the plan includes some important steps, including bringing Ukraine into NATO before the war ends. The agreement includes measures that Western allies have previously refused to accept.
“If we start working now on this winning plan, it may be possible to end the war by next year at the latest,” President Zelenskiy said.
After Zelensky’s presentation, Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk said that parliament would prioritize the legislation needed to implement the plan. According to Stefanchuk, while the question of NATO membership is political, it also requires the adoption of a series of laws to bring Ukraine into line with NATO standards.
File – US President Joe Biden (centre), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy (front row, second from left), European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (front row, left), British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (front row) (second from right), President of Poland Andrzej Duda (right), and the rest of the world pose for a family photo during the launch of the Joint Declaration to Support the Reconstruction and Reconstruction of Ukraine in New York on September 25, 2024. leaders. (Leon Neal/Pool photo via AP, file)
The first item in President Zelenskiy’s five-point plan is an invitation to join NATO. “We understand that NATO membership is a matter of the future, not the present,” he declared. Ukrainian officials believe the invitation will change Putin’s “geopolitical calculations.”
During his speech, the atmosphere in Ukraine was tense. The Ukrainian military has struggled to contain Russian military power and is gradually being pushed back, particularly in the eastern Donetsk region. Russia’s progress has been gradual, but its steady gains are increasing gradually, and Ukraine is acutely aware of the need for greater support from the West.
But there are signs that Western support may decline due to Middle East wars and a focus on domestic political concerns. Next month’s US elections could spell major changes in Ukraine’s fortunes, as the US government is the largest provider of military aid.
President Zelensky said accepting the invitation to Ukraine would be a “proof of[the allies’]determination” to support Ukraine. “The invitation is a strong decision and only determination is required,” he said.
NATO’s collective security — Article 5 of its founding treaty — is a pillar on which NATO’s credibility is based. It is a political commitment by all Member States to assist Member States whose sovereignty or territory may be under attack.
At a summit in Washington in July, 32 NATO members declared that Ukraine was on an “irreversible” path to membership. It is unlikely that a decision to propose starting accession negotiations will be taken before the next summit in the Netherlands in June.
He is trying to get approval for the plan from Western partners, but no one has yet publicly expressed support.
Lawmakers had mixed reactions to the plan and whether it was viable.
FILE – In this image provided by the Office of the President of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of Ukraine looks on as Rich Hansen, acting commander of the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant, signs munitions on Sunday, September in Scranton, Pennsylvania. (left). 22, 2024 (via Associated Press, Office of the President of Ukraine, File)
“First of all, this is not a plan. By plan, I mean something with concrete steps. This is about how our partners can and should support us. It’s like a wish list. And it’s not realistic. We were waiting for a serious discussion about the situation and strategy, but this is not it, ”said opposition lawmaker Oleksiy Honcharenko.
He added that it would be “contradictory” to carry out purported plans for victory as Russia advances along the Eastern Front.
“This is a realistic and quite realistic plan. With sufficient help and support from allies and partners, it can be implemented,” said Oleksandr Mereshko, a lawmaker from Zelensky’s party. “One of the key issues is the invitation from NATO to join the alliance, which in itself would be a major strategic defeat for President Putin.
“It was also good that the president talked about things that could be of interest to the West and explained why Ukraine is of great value to Europe and the West from a geopolitical and economic point of view,” he added. “And the question is, on whose side will these resources go? The side of democracies or the side of dictatorships?”
Even as President Zelenskiy was presenting his plan to Ukrainian lawmakers, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed it as “temporary” and said derisively: plan. ‘”
Zelenskiy’s “victory plan” includes sensitive parts that he did not mention in Congress.
Other aspects of the plan include Russia’s invasion of the Kursk border region, which began in August, and the authorization to use long-range missiles to target military infrastructure deep inside Russian territory. Continuing attacks are included.
He said Ukraine also needs additional air defense systems and support from partners to shoot down Russian missiles. He also demanded broader access to information from allies.
President Zelensky noted that Ukraine is rich in natural resources, including vital metals such as uranium, titanium, lithium and graphite, worth “trillions of dollars”.
FILE – Vice President Kamala Harris speaks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Vice Presidential Ceremony Room in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in the White House complex in Washington, Sept. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Jacqueline Martin, File)
FILE – Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at Trump Tower in New York, Friday, September 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nickinson, File)
These Ukrainian assets and the country’s agricultural production are among Russia’s main targets in the war, but could be shared with partners after the war, he said.
And in the post-war period, Ukraine’s battle-hardened military will be invaluable to NATO’s efforts to keep Russia at bay.
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FILE – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy addresses the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly at United Nations Headquarters, September 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nickinson, File)
Associated Press writer Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed.
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