Ukraine’s Zelensky pushes “victory plan” as Kremlin warns it could lead to direct war with NATO
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has laid out a so-called victory plan in a speech to Ukraine’s parliament, proposing to end Russia’s war in Ukraine by late 2025.The five-point plan calls for an immediate and unconditional invitation to Ukraine to join NATO.
It would also guarantee weapons sent to Ukraine by its allies could be used for attacks on Russian soil, and would see Ukrainian troops replace U.S. troops in Europe after the war.
However, his plan includes a condition that certain critical Western allies have yet to accept: Ukraine’s request to join NATO before the conclusion of the conflict.
Recently, he has been seeking endorsement for his plan from Western partners, who have yet to publicly express their support.
Zelenskyy stated, “If we start moving according to this victory plan now, it may be possible to end the war no later than next year.”.
The first point in Zelenskyy’s five-point plan, presented in a speech to the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, stands out as the most ambitious and the most likely to cause hesitation among Western allies: allowing Ukraine to join NATO while the conflict persists.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy stated that granting Ukraine membership in the alliance would demonstrate the allies’ strong commitment to supporting Ukraine.
NATO’s collective security guarantee, enshrined in Article 5 of its treaty, is the cornerstone of the alliance’s credibility. This political commitment ensures that all member countries will assist any member whose sovereignty or territory is threatened.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry condemned Zelensky’s plan as an escalation and warned it could push Russia into direct conflict with NATO.
This comes as President Biden heads to Germany today (Thursday), where he will discuss U.S. and European support for Ukraine.
The Wall Street Journal recently reported the number of Ukrainians and Russians killed or wounded since Russia’s invasion in early 2022 has topped 1 million people.
