On Oct. 18, the Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that Ukraine’s victory strategy will be reassessed following the upcoming U.S. Presidential election.
Tusk also emphasized that Poland continues to support Ukraine’s NATO membership.
He said, “We stand with Ukraine in this issue.”
Tusk said that there is no consensus among EU leaders about the plan and it’s difficult to know how realistic it is, because “much depends upon the outcome of the U.S. Presidential election.”
In September, President Volodymyr Zelensky presented his plan to Western leaders privately. He made it public in early October.
The proposal consists of five points: a call to join NATO, a defense component, non-nuclear means of deterring Russian aggression, economic growth, cooperation, and establishing a post-war security framework. The proposal also includes three classified addenda which have been shared with partners internationally.
While Ukraine’s Western Allies have generally said that Ukraine will be joining NATO, no specific timeline has been made public – or agreed to.
Julianne Smith, U.S. Ambassador to NATO, stated on Oct. 16, that there is no immediate plan for Ukraine to join the Alliance.
Smith said that Ukraine is on a path to membership that is irreversible, but added “We aren’t at the stage (NATO) where we are discussing issuing an invite in the near future.”
The Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kamysz is less optimistic about the plan of victory.
Kosiniak Kamysz told the Polish Press Agency that “everyone would like to see the victory plan implemented in their hearts.”
“But I hear that there is not much enthusiasm in either the European Council or NATO headquarters, because the situation at the front is difficult and there is immense war fatigue.”
Kosiniak Kazysz said that the victory plan is not a “clear, bright light” that will change reality immediately.
The Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that there is no consensus among EU leaders about the plan and it’s difficult to determine its realistic potential because “much is dependent on the outcome of U.S. Presidential election.”
The bloodiest day in the history of Moscow’s forces occurred on May 13, when they suffered 1,740 reported casualties.
Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine’s head of military intelligence, said that the first group of 2,600 troops will be deployed in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. This is where Ukraine began its cross-border incision last August and still controls significant territory.
According to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, which tracks international aid for Ukraine (IfW Kiel), Germany and the Netherlands allocated 15 billion euro ($16.2 billion) and 6.9 billion euros ($6.9billion), respectively.
The National Intelligence Service of South Korea believes that North Korea will deploy four brigades, totaling 12,000 soldiers, including special forces to the war in Ukraine.
The European Council reiterated that it would adhere to the “security and defense policy” of “certain member states” regarding the use generated from the frozen assets. It added that it would continue to address “all relevant legal and financial issues.”
Ukraine’s Air Force reported that in addition to the 80 drones shot down throughout the country, 44 more were “lost.”
“We cannot stop. We must continue to support the cause. “I believe we must continue until Ukraine achieves a just and lasting peace in accordance with the U.N. Charter,” said U.S. president Joe Biden.
This includes 1,530 casualties that Russian forces have suffered in the last day.
The Krakow District Court began the trial of two Russians, Andrei G., and Aleksei, T., who allegedly were hired by the Wagner Group in order to distribute flyers to people in Krakow, Poland, encouraging them to join their organization.
Denys Shmyhal, the Ukrainian Prime Minister, addressed the annual Ukraine Mine Action Conference held in Switzerland on October 17, and urged the international community for increased support to demining efforts.
According to the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway has increased its overall support for Ukraine’s Energy Sector to 3 billion Kroner (approximately $274.2 Million) as part of a broader aid program.
Viktor Orban, the Hungarian Prime Minster, wrote that “what (Zelensky), outlined yesterday in Ukraine’s parliament is more than frightening,” and urged EU leaders to begin talks with Moscow as soon as possible.
In an interview with The Washington Post on October 17, Trump blamed the U.S., Ukraine and other leaders for the war. He did not mention Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“We refute the insinuations made by unnamed sources, in the Bild magazine, regarding Ukraine’s alleged plan to develop weapons or mass destruction.”
The change could delay the Ukrainian squadron’s readiness for the battlefield by several months.
“We never talked about…that we were preparing to create nukes or something like that,” said President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Ukrainska Pravda, citing reliable sources, reported that the person in question was Iryna Alakhverdiieva, from the Servant of the People Party of President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department said that the two Chinese companies, Limbach and Redlepus, have been working together with IEMZ Kupol – a subsidiary of Almaz-Antey – a Kremlin-owned arms company – to create drones.
Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, wrote on X that Greece is ready to continue to meet Ukraine’s most urgent defence needs.
“Either Ukraine has nuclear weapons that will protect it, or they must be a part of an alliance.” “We do not know any other alliance that is as effective as NATO,” Volodymyr Zelensky told Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
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