Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was scheduled to present his plan to win the war with Russia in his country's parliament on Wednesday, after at least partially dropping hints about the plan for Western allies, including U.S. President Joe Biden.
The plan, which includes military, political, diplomatic and economic elements, is seen by many as a last resort for Ukraine to strengthen its position in future ceasefire talks with Russia. So far, however, no country has publicly endorsed it or commented on its potential.
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Zelensky is keen to prepare a victory plan before the new US president is sworn in next year, although Ukrainian officials say neither presidential candidate will improve Kiev's position in the war.
Zelensky's presentation to parliament, announced on Monday by presidential adviser Serhiy Leshchenko, comes at a dark moment in Ukraine. The country's military is suffering casualties on the Eastern Front as Russian forces move closer to a strategically significant victory near the key logistics hub of Pokrovsk.
Each time, Moscow outnumbered Kiev: the country tried to fill its ranks with an unpopular push to mobilize; His ammunition supply is limited; And Russian air superiority is wreaking havoc on Ukraine's defense lines.
It is unclear to what extent Zelensky will reveal his victory plan on Wednesday; Leshchenko stressed that it would be fully disclosed, and other officials suggested that the president withhold the most sensitive materials from all lawmakers.
Either way, the plan essentially puts Kiev's future in the hands of its allies. Without this, any agreement 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. Kiev may never regain occupied territory or receive compensation for widespread destruction across the country.
Several elements of the plan have already been revealed: Ukraine's membership in NATO; allowing the country to use Western long-range weapons to strike deep into Russia; Providing resources to strengthen Ukraine's air and other defenses and strengthen sanctions against Russia.
Zelensky told reporters that the surprise incursion of Ukrainian troops into 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 and other provisions of the plan would likely be used as a bargaining chip in negotiations with Russia.
NATO Article 5 states that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all. Including Ukraine in the alliance would deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from attacking again, Ukrainian officials argue. Western leaders have so far been reluctant to guarantee an invitation for fear of triggering tensions with Putin.
Ukrainian officials expected responses from Western allies at the Ukrainian Defense Contact Group meeting at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where defense leaders from more than 50 partner nations gather to coordinate wartime weapons support. The summit, scheduled for last weekend, was postponed after Biden canceled his appearance in response to Hurricane Milton in the United States.
Since then, Zelensky has traveled to Western capitals to outline his vision to other key allies. But so far, no one has given any indication that they will support the plan. Some expressed concern about the short deadline set by Zelensky, which gave allies just three months to adopt the plan's key provisions by the end of September.
So far, Kiev's main supporter in the two-and-a-half-year war has been the United States. However, Biden has rejected requests to use long-range weapons to strike specific targets in Russia, fearing a possible escalation of the war. Meanwhile, the intense conflict in the Middle East between Israel and Hezbollah, which threatens to embroil Iran, has diverted Washington's attention.
Many expect Democratic nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris to continue Biden's policies and maintain stability. Under the Biden administration, U.S. aid to Kiev, while significant, has consistently arrived too late to significantly impact Ukrainian forces.
Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump has said only that he will not say how quickly he will end the war.
Meanwhile, Brazil and China have proposed alternative peace plans, which Zelensky rejected, saying they would simply stop the war and give Moscow time to consolidate its damaged army and defense industry.