The Kyiv Independent reported that the leader of the ruling party in parliament said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will present his much-debated plan of victory during an address to the parliament on October 16, with more sensitive information revealed to the faction leaders of legislature.
The Ukrainian leadership has only revealed certain points and the general outline of the five-step program, but not all of it.
Zelensky pitched the plan already to U.S. president Joe Biden and European leader in an attempt to drum up support for what Kyiv describes as a path towards a just and sustainable peace.
More details will be revealed to Ukrainian legislators and the public in the near future.
David Arakhamia said that he expected only a part of the plan would be declassified in the Oct. 16 session.
Arakhamia told the Kyiv independent that “I believe part of the document will be declassified and the other will be presented to (parliamentary groups’) leaders.”
The lawmaker said that once a part of the plan has been revealed in the parliament it will be made available to the public. Arakhamia said that the proposal doesn’t require approval by the legislature.
Volodymyr Fenenko, a Ukrainian political scientist, said that the purpose of the presentation to the parliament is to inform legislators and society as a reaction to “public request.”
Top officials have already revealed some parts of the plan. These include those relating to Western military and politic support for Kyiv in its fight against Russia’s full scale invasion.
The key components of the plan are focused on military, diplomatic and economic areas as well as reconstruction after war. One of the specific steps is to invite Ukraine to join NATO. Ukraine’s incursion across the border into Russia’s Kursk Oblast is also a factor in creating pressure on Moscow.
Mykhailo Podolyak, the presidential advisor, told the Wall Street Journal the proposal included a request for more ATACMS missiles and Storm Shadows as well permission to launch these missiles against military targets in Russia. The Western powers were reluctant to approve this step.
Fesenko said that it would likely include economic assistance, security guarantees and increased diplomatic pressure on Russia.
Andrii Yermak, chief of staff to Zelensky, has stated that some parts of the plan won’t be revealed to the public.
Fesenko stated that the purpose of the plan was to strengthen our position and force Russia into realistic and just negotiations for peace. The plan would also aim to increase the costs of the war in Russia and pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Western partners have largely kept their opinions about the victory plan under wraps. The Wall Street Journal reported that while the U.S. State Department diplomatically said the proposal included “a number productive steps,” other partners were “unimpressed.”
The outlet reported that several Western officials believed it relied too heavily on the provision of additional arms and the lifting of restrictions on their usage and did not bring any new ideas to the table. The Kyiv Independent was unable to verify the claims.
Fesenko said that it was “too soon to draw fatal conclusions” regarding the West’s response to the victory plan.
He said that the West has not yet responded positively or negatively to Ukraine’s request to be allowed to strike Russia using long-range weapons, and to join NATO.
Zelensky had planned to reveal the plan of victory to Ukraine’s Western Allies at the Ukraine Defence Contact Group Meeting at Germany’s Ramstein Airbase on October 12. However, the gathering was cancelled after outgoing U.S. president Joe Biden canceled his overseas travel because Hurricane Milton hit the United States. The U.S. President will visit Germany on October 18, but no new date has been set for the Ramstein summit.
Fesenko said that the Ramstein summit would not likely bring any major strategic decisions, as “Biden’s indecisiveness” has devalued their meaning.
With only three weeks left until the U.S. election, Kamal Harris, the Democratic Party’s candidate and Vice President of Biden, will be facing former president Donald Trump. The outcome could have a profound impact on Washington’s support of Kyiv, both in the short-term and over time.
There are fears that if Trump is elected, he will reduce the crucial support of his country, forcing Ukraine to make painful concessions.
The U.S. withdrawing would only worsen the already dire situation in Ukraine as Russian forces continue to advance in the east and the country, which has about 20% of its territory occupied, prepares for more attacks on the energy sector in the upcoming winter.
“In October, December, and November, we have the chance to make a real difference in moving things towards peace and lasting security. Zelensky, speaking at the Ukraine-South East Europe Summit last week, said that the situation on the battlefield offers an opportunity to take decisive action and end the war by 2025.
David Arakhamia is the leader of Zelensky’s Servant of the People, a parliamentary group. He made comments to the Kyiv Independent.
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