On October 16, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky presented a “Victory Plan” to the Ukrainian Parliament aimed at ending Russia’s 32-month invasion. This plan comes at a critical time, as Russian forces continue their advance in Eastern Ukraine, and the harsh winter looms with the risk of power shortages. Zelensky urged the weary nation to unite in the face of these challenges.
According to Reuters, Zelensky’s proposal relies heavily on support from allies and focuses on five key points, which include an unconditional invitation for Ukraine to join NATO and the deployment of non-nuclear deterrent forces to curb Russian aggression.
During his address to lawmakers and cabinet members, he emphasized, “We must change the situation together with our partners to bring this war to an end. Regardless of what (Russian President) Vladimir Putin wants, we all must change the circumstances so that Russia is forced to achieve peace.”
Here are the five main points of Zelensky’s “Victory Plan” as outlined by Reuters:
1. **NATO Membership Invitation**
Zelensky asserted that Ukraine must be unconditionally invited to join NATO immediately. He acknowledged, “We understand that obtaining NATO membership is a future prospect, not a current reality, but this will signal to Putin that his geopolitical calculations are destined for failure.”
2. **Strengthening Defense Capabilities**
He stated the need to “irreversibly strengthen” Ukraine’s self-defense capabilities and proposed various measures, including further arming Ukraine, enhancing its defense industry, boosting air defense capabilities, lifting restrictions on weapon usage, and allowing military operations within Russian territory.
3. **Joint Deterrence by Allies**
Zelensky called on Western allies to deter Russia from further aggression, making it clear that such actions would have consequences. He described Ukraine’s proposal for a comprehensive non-nuclear deterrence strategy as sufficient to protect against any military threats from Russia. This section contains a confidential appendix, the specifics of which were not disclosed.
4. **Strategic Economic Potential**
He proposed that Ukraine collaborate with the United States, the European Union, and other unnamed allies to sign agreements enabling joint investments in Ukraine’s natural resources, which he estimates could be worth trillions of dollars. He emphasized that these resources, particularly uranium, titanium, lithium, graphite, and other strategically valuable materials, could bolster Ukraine and the democratic world, rather than reinforcing Russia and its allies.
5. **Enhancing NATO’s Strength**
Zelensky suggested that, post-war, Ukraine could bolster NATO security by enhancing its armed forces, potentially replacing some American troops currently stationed in Europe.
