On Wednesday, he detailed its contents. Divided into five parts and three so-called “secret” annexes, the famous plan is essentially based on three key demands: deploy on Ukrainian territory.a comprehensive set of non-nuclear strategic deterrence measures“in order to guarantee the security of Ukraine in the face of”any military threat from Russia“, authorize kyiv – as requested for many months – to strike Russian territory with long-range weapons, and officially invite the country to join NATO.
‘It’s cruel, but effective’: Ukrainian officer explains macabre Russian strategy that appears to be working on the battlefield
“We can win this war in a year”
Visiting Brussels on Thursday to make these requests in person to the leaders of the 27 member states of the European Union, the Ukrainian president did everything to counter the lurking defeatism. “With the plan for victory, we can win this war in one year” he insisted at the opening of the summit. “This will strengthen Ukraine and it will strengthen the Euro-Atlantic.”
Out of the question for kyiv to accept a freeze in the conflict and cede the territories demanded by Moscow, the Kremlin must therefore be forced to discuss. “You all know the psychology of Russia” a poursuivi Volodymyr Zelensky. “She will only decide to follow the diplomatic path when she realizes that force is useless.” As he had indicated the day before, “the plan is to strengthen Ukraine, to be strong and ready for diplomacy (…) We must end this war and put in place the conditions to ensure the peace we need“.
Unfortunately for him, Washington and a number of European states still categorically refuse to authorize Ukraine to strike Russian soil with the weapons provided, for fear of escalating the conflict. On Wednesday, German Chancellor Olaf Sholz even called for “do everything“to prevent the continuation of the war, even if it means discussing with Vladimir Putin in consultation with kyiv.”If we are asked: Are we going to talk about it with the Russian president? We say “yes, it is” he declared in front of the deputies of the Bundestag. “If our partners do not support us on all levels, it will be very difficult for us.” Volodymyr Zelensky replied in Brussels. “Eighteen (of twenty-seven) heads of state intervened and expressed full support for this plan“Paris and Washington would have given.”positive signals” in kyiv on the requested measures, but nothing seems concrete or decisive at the moment.
“We call them the Buryat battalion”: In Russia, the “participation of a second state in the war against Ukraine” at the heart of the accusations
“Billions of dollars of uranium”
In an attempt to mollify his interlocutors, and for the first time since the start of the conflict, the Ukrainian president mentioned the country’s important natural resources. “The billions of dollars of uranium, lithium, manganese“which are located in the Ukrainian sub-pass”should not end up in Russian hands instead of those of the allies” he insisted. “It’s about economic security and the possibility of investing for Westerners. Russia is only 100km from some of our raw material reserves“.
There remains the question of Atlanticist commitment. On Thursday, the new Secretary General of the Alliance – the Dutchman Mark Rutte – affirmed that “Ukraine will be a member of NATO (…) The question is when, I can’t answer right now“. Volodymyr Zelensky, who was to meet with the Defense Ministers of the members of the Alliance in the evening, was particularly clear on the issue: “The fact is that an official invitation to join NATO would be decisive. This would show Vladimir Putin that his geopolitical calculations are in vain (…) In practice, this is the only hope for us (…). Either we arm ourselves with nuclear weapons or we enter NATO.” Even if it seems a priori out of the question to supply nuclear weapons to Ukraine.
How Russia recruits soldiers, willingly or by force: “Ukraine is never mentioned, nor is patriotic duty”
Moscow, in its usual style, has already accused Volodymyr Zelensky of “push“NATO”to enter into direct conflict” with Russia. According to the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharov, “It’s not a plan, it’s a set of incoherent slogans, it’s bloody drool from the lips of a neo-Nazi murderer“. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, for his part, called on the Ukrainian president to “come to your senses“. Russia, which will host a BRICS summit in Kazan next Tuesday, is in a position of strength on the various fronts and again announced on Thursday the capture of a village in the Donetsk Oblast. Ukraine’s allies, they will meet this Friday in Germany, in the presence of Joe Biden.
