EU and NATO offer Zelenskyy qualified support for his victory plan – POLITICO

BRUSSELS — As Volodymyr Zelenskyy walked into the NATO restaurant Thursday to dine with alliance boss Mark Rutte, there was one thing the Ukrainian president wouldn’t order: cold water.

He came armed with a plan, billing it as the ultimate solution to defeat Moscow after 32 months of full-scale battle. Not only does it ask for permission to use long-range Western weapons to strike Russian targets, but it also calls for an immediate invitation to join NATO at a later date.

Zelenskyy’s uphill battle to gain Europe’s support for his “victory plan” comes three weeks before a potential second term for former U.S. President Donald Trump, which could force the Ukrainian leader to negotiate with Moscow.