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Zelenskyy announces NATO membership as part of victory plan
War with Russia: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, has outlined his “victory strategy” to end the conflict with Russia, which involves seeking specific weapons and extending an “unconditional” invitation to join NATO immediately.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy Statement
“If we start moving according to this victory plan now, it may be possible to end the war no later than next year,” Zelenskyy declared in his address to the Verkhovna Rada, the parliament of Ukraine, on Wednesday.
He informed legislators that the initial step was getting a “unconditional invitation” to become part of the military alliance, demonstrating how other countries view Ukraine’s position in the security framework.
The Ukrainian president just finished a quick trip to multiple European cities, seeking endorsement for the five-point proposal from Western allies, who have yet to express their approval publicly.
“Regardless of what [Russian President Vladimir] Putin wants, we must all change the circumstances so that Russia is forced to peace,” he informed parliament about the plan, which encompasses military, political, and economic components.
He repeated the need to strengthen Ukraine’s military and weapons against Russian missile and drone attacks, urging allies to remove restrictions on Ukraine’s use of long-range arms on Russian military targets.
Russia’s Reply
Russia promptly rejected Zelenskyy’s suggestion, deeming it as a “some ephemeral peace plan”.
“The only peace plan there can be is for the Kyiv regime to realise the futility of the policy it is pursuing and understand the need to sober up,” on Wednesday, Dmitry Peskov, a spokesperson for the Kremlin, stated.
‘Coalition of criminals’
The main components of the plan also consist of a commitment to not give up any more Ukrainian land, continuing the advance into the Kursk region of Russia, where Ukraine made a sudden attack in August, and promises for reconstruction after the war.
Zelenskyy stressed that the resolution to the over two years of war following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 was not a stalemate and “not a trade-in Ukraine’s territory or sovereignty”.
He also criticised China, Iran and North Korea for supporting Russia, calling them a “coalition of criminals”.
The statement is made as Ukraine faces casualties on the eastern front with Russian forces nearing a crucial win in capturing Pokrovsk.
Ukraine is facing challenges in rebuilding its military strength due to a lack of support for mobilization efforts, low ammunition reserves, and Russian control of the skies.
Zelenskyy tried to convince a war-weary public that the conflict could be resolved quickly in his speech.
“We achieved and are achieving results in battles thanks to our unity. Therefore, please do not lose unity,” he stated.
He later shared on social networking site X about his plan “is a guarantee that the madmen in the Kremlin will lose the ability to continue the war”, calling it a “path to honest diplomacy”.
“But on this path, Ukraine must remain strong, united, and aware – aware that while Russia cannot let go of Ukraine, it must lose Ukraine.”
In September, the plan was presented to US President Joe Biden, as well as presidential contenders Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, alongside allies including the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Germany.
Zelenskyy is scheduled to unveil his “victory plan” to European leaders on Thursday at a summit in Brussels.
