On 16 October, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented the Victory Plan to MPs - a list of needs and steps needed to strengthen the country's position.
The presentation was attended by Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyy, Chief of the General Staff, heads of the Security Service of Ukraine, the Defence Intelligence Service, the Foreign Intelligence Service, and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. Heads of diplomatic missions were also present.
Five points of the Victory Plan
- Invitation to join NATO now
- defence
- deterrence
- economy
- security
The first four points will be implemented during the war - to end it. The fifth point will be implemented after the war to ensure security. According to Zelenskyy, if we start implementing them now, the war can be ended by the end of 2025.
Regarding Ukraine's invitation to join NATO, the president said that it could be fundamental to peace. Ukraine understands that membership in the Alliance is a matter for the future, but now Putin must see that his geopolitical calculations are losing.
The second point, defence, is about irreversibly strengthening Ukraine against the aggressor, realistically defending its positions on the battlefield in Ukraine and - at the same time - bringing the war back to Russian territory. We want them to feel what war is like and, despite the propaganda, to turn their hatred towards the Kremlin. There is a clear list of weapons, and thanks to the Kursk operation, it has become clear that Putin has no strength when Ukraine is really under pressure. The key to the plan's implementation is "the successful continuation of the Defence Forces' operation in designated areas of enemy territory to prevent buffer zones on our land." The partners should help replenish the reserves of Ukrainian brigades and bring Ukrainian air defence to a level that will be sufficient to protect settlements. The paragraph also provides for joint efforts with European neighbours to shoot down Russian missiles and drones within the range of the partners' air shield. It also provides for the expansion of operations involving Ukrainian missiles and drones, the lifting of restrictions on the use of weapons by partners, and the provision of real-time satellite data to Ukraine. This clause has a secret annex available to partners who can help.
The deterrence point also has a secret annex, which has been received, among others, by the United States, the leaders of the United Kingdom, and France. Ukraine offers to host a comprehensive non-nuclear deterrence package on its ground, sufficient to protect Ukraine from any aggression by Russia. Moscow should be forced to either join the diplomatic process to bring the war to a just end or be guaranteed to lose the ability to continue the war. The clause provides for the identification of military targets in Russia, against which weapons will be used.
Strategic economic potential: Ukraine has strategically valuable natural resources that will strengthen either Russia and its allies or Ukraine and the democratic world. The potential of natural resource deposits should be used. There is also a secret annex to the clause that only certain partners will receive. Ukraine proposes that the US and certain partners, including the EU, conclude a special agreement on joint protection of critical resources available in Ukraine and sharing economic potential.
Security point: after the war, Ukraine will have one of the most experienced military contingents. These soldiers will have successful experience in using Western weapons. If the partners agree, Ukraine proposes to replace the US contingent in Europe with Ukrainian units after the war. According to him, this proposal has already found support from some allies.
The President said that the Victory Plan is a plan to strengthen the state and its positions to be strong enough to end the war. This plan depends on partners and definitely does not depend on Russia, he stressed.
Together with its allies, Ukraine needs to change the circumstances so that Russia is forced to peace. He recalled that two years ago, at the Group of 20 summit in Indonesia, Ukraine proposed a formula for peace. Since then, about a hundred countries have supported this formula.
"The future for Ukraine is to be a strong part of the global world, to be on an equal footing with everyone, to be in the European Union and NATO, to be full members, to be there - it is fair for us," Zelenskyy said.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy's victory plan
For the first time, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke about the existence of a victory plan that he wants to present to Biden in August. He said that work was underway on this plan, and that it was designed to force Russia to end the war. The success of the plan depends on the American president, Zelenskyy said at the time. On 18 September, the plan was completed, and then Zelenskyy went to present it.
In addition to Biden, he presented the plan to Republican candidate Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, as well as to the US Congress.
In October, he presented the plan to the leaders of Germany, Italy, France and the United Kingdom. Zelenskyy believes that this plan does not depend on Putin at all. "This is a strengthening of a particular format of dialogue with the aggressor. Before. This is a bridge to the Peace Summit. We have proposed this bridge because only in a strong position can Ukraine count on a just peace. Therefore, it does not matter whether Putin agrees or disagrees," the President said.
In general, the plan consists of several points. One of them is the Kursk operation. The plan is about strengthening Ukraine before the second Peace Summit, which has been announced for November and to which representatives of the aggressor country would be invited. If Biden rejects the plan, Ukraine will follow Plan B, Zelenskyy said.
The plan was going to be presented to Ukrainians in an abbreviated form, without detailing a specific list of armed needs.