Zelensky to present 'Victory Plan' at EU summit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would present his Victory Plan at an EU summit tomorrow, urging more Western support and an invitation to NATO.

"Tomorrow I will present the Victory Plan at a meeting of the European Council," Mr Zelensky said while unveiling details of the plan to MPs in Kyiv.

He urged his war-weary country to stay united at a precarious time ahead of the US presidential election.

As Russian troops advance in the east and a bleak winter of power shortages looms, he told MPs his plan contained five main points that relied on Kyiv's allies, including an unconditional invite to join NATO and specific weapons support.

"Together with our partners, we must change the circumstances so that the war ends. Regardless of what Putin wants. We must all change the circumstances so that Russia is forced to peace," he told MPs and top officials.

His third point emphasised the need for Ukraine to acquire a non-nuclear deterrence capacity that he said would be enough to destroy Russian military power. He did not elaborate, but said there was an additional secret addendum that he could not disclose.

The plan, he said, also envisaged a Western role defending Ukraine's natural mineral resources from Russian attacks as well as post-war reconstruction pledges.

The speech was attended by his top military, intelligence and political brass as well as MPs, some of whom occasionally stood up to applaud.

Russia said it was too early to comment in detail on Mr Zelensky's plan, but that Ukraine needed to "sober up" and realise the futility of the policies it was pursuing.

After two-and-a-half years of war, the speech sought to persuade Ukraine's exhausted public that the war can be ended soon and to emphasise the importance of ordinary Ukrainians remaining united as war challenges pile up.

"We achieved and are achieving results in battles thanks to our unity. Therefore, please do not lose unity," Mr Zelensky said.

Ukraine faces both difficulties and uncertainty ahead of the US election that could return Donald Trump to the White House.

The Republican former president has pledged to rapidly end the war before entering office if he wins, an idea that Ukraine's supporters fear would involve big concessions in the name of a quick deal.

Mr Zelensky met US President Joe Biden, his key ally, in Washington at the end of the September to present the plan. In a subsequent whirlwind tour of Europe, he met the leaders of Britain, France, Italy and Germany to discuss it.

Mr Zelenskiy said he would travel to summit of European Union leaders in Brussels to present his plan.

Meanwhile, a senior Ukrainian diplomat has said that Ukraine is asking for a NATO membership invitation before Mr Biden leaves the White House, arguing it would be a fitting legacy for the US president.

"Our idea is that giving Ukraine (an) invitation at this moment is a political signal," said Nataliia Galibarenko, Ukraine's ambassador to NATO.

"We sincerely believe that it can be part of the legacy of (the) current American administration," she said in an interview at the Ukrainian mission to NATO, opposite the alliance's headquarters in Brussels.

Being in NATO would make Ukraine part of the US-led military alliance's mutual defence pact, which means an attack on one member is considered an attack on all, although the accession process can take years of adapting to NATO standards.

Mr Zelensky has made clear in recent weeks that he sees an early NATO invitation as part of his "victory plan".

In the interview, Ms Galibarenko elaborated on the rationale for Kyiv's push. She argued an invitation would remove a major bone of contention between Kyiv and Moscow.

Moscow has cited Ukraine's potential membership of NATO to justify the war while Ukraine has insisted it needs to join the alliance to protect against any future Russian aggression.

"If we will say that the invitation is there, for the Russian Federation, it would be like a final verdict – so that's it, so you cannot raise the stakes using this topic anymore," Ms Galibarenko said.

NATO has declared Ukraine will join its ranks and its path to the alliance is irreversible. But it has said it cannot join while at war and declined to put a timeline on membership.

Most NATO members, including the United States, have shown no willingness to extend a membership invitation to Ukraine at this stage.

A senior US government official, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity, said last week that there has been no shift in Washington’s position.

Ms Galibarenko said Ukraine is not pushing for an immediate launch of membership talks but a formal invitation now would send a powerful message.

Asked when Ukraine would like the invitation to be issued, she replied: "The sooner the better."