On October 16, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky presented his plan for Ukraine’s victory to the country’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada.

The plan announced at the meeting included five points with three classified annexes that were not disclosed. Zelensky said the plan had already been shared with Western allies who play a critical role in supplying weapons to Ukraine.

The Kyiv Post analyzed the content of the victory plan and questioned why it was formulated in this way.

First, Zelensky described the context that led to the need for a plan in response to Russian demands for a negotiated end to the war based on Moscow’s ultimatums and continued attacks on critical infrastructure and civilians of Ukraine. This indicates that Russia is not really planning for peace.

He also discussed the support Russia is receiving from China, North Korea and Iran, with the latter two increasing their supplies of military hardware. He added that Pyongyang supplied not only weapons but also personnel, both soldiers and workers for military factories.

The central idea of ​​the plan is that Ukraine must be strengthened in order to be able to resist the coalition formed by Russia, North Korea and Iran.

Summary of the five-point plan

Point 1: Western countries should invite Ukraine to join NATO immediately. This would demonstrate a clear intention to integrate Ukraine into the Western security system. According to Zelensky, it would also be a sign of the courage and determination of the West.

Other topics of interest

HUR says Russia is preparing 10,000 North Korean troops in Far East for deployment to Ukraine

Ukrainian military intelligence indicates that 10,000 North Korean infantrymen are being trained in the Russian Far East for deployment near the Ukrainian border and to facilitate the rotation of troops from Moscow.

Item 2: Strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities by providing Ukraine with additional weapons and enabling their use against targets deep within Russia. A secret annex is attached to this clause and has been shared with allies.

Point 3: “Deterrence.” Zelensky urged Western countries to deploy non-nuclear military forces in Ukraine after the war to prevent further Russian aggression. This item also includes a secret annex provided to the leaders of the United States, United Kingdom and Italy.

Item 4: Economic measures. Zelensky stressed that Ukraine has significant mineral deposits and businesses that could fall into Russian hands if Ukraine loses. He therefore proposed establishing economic agreements with Western powers to secure these resources.

Point 5: Security. After the war, Ukrainian forces will have the greatest possible experience using Western weapons in a large-scale conflict. Zelensky suggested that Ukrainian armed forces could replace American forces in Europe after the war.

Zelensky said Ukraine would not be Putin’s only target if Russia was allowed to win. Other countries could be attacked, and a victory against Russia in Ukraine would bring peace to other regions where Russia is expanding its influence – notably the Middle East and Africa.

Reactions to the plan

The first reaction on Ukrainian social media and among politicians was surprise that the Victory Plan was essentially a set of proposals, requests and demands addressed to Western allies rather than measures that Ukraine could take.

A military officer watching the Rada broadcast with the Kyiv Post asked a very relevant question:

“What if someone on the other end says no? Yes, it is in the West’s interests to help Ukraine, but what if it cannot or, for internal political reasons, does not want to do so? So what?

Opponent Oleksiy Goncharenko, People’s Deputy of the European Solidarity Party, asked a second question:

“We have transferred almost all responsibility to our partners. But what demands do we impose on ourselves? What is the point of fighting corruption, strengthening democratic institutions, etc.? ? We demand a lot from our partners, but what is our role in this regard? he asked.

MP Viktoria Syumar wrote on Facebook: “Gratitude and wishes for partners are good. The same goes for statements about the lack of alternatives to democracy and unity. But these measures must be implemented alongside strengthening our military-industrial complex, our army and our missile production, as well as improving parliamentary oversight, the effectiveness of government bodies and real personnel changes within the Ministry of Defense.”

Media professionals who frequently visit the United States and are familiar with the country’s politics have also criticized Zelensky’s plan.

“Both camps – Donald Trump’s supporters and the Biden team – have been critical of the project (but not entirely negative, which is important to note) and have made several comments. Firstly, there are no details, for example regarding long-range strikes. Second, the plan suggests a prolonged war, rather than measures to end it quickly, which is the priority of both groups. They also wonder why Ukraine is asking for more weapons without addressing issues of mobilization, motivation and staffing of brigades, political commentator Yulia Zabelina wrote on Telegram.

Many expected Zelensky to include specific details on the mobilization and demobilization of those who have been fighting since the start of the war.

According to Kyiv Post sources close to the president, Ukraine’s plans in this area will be announced separately. The main problem is that the war has reached a new level, where the most crucial elements now depend on Western countries.

“Now it doesn’t depend much on the Ukrainians. If, for example, we use a third more planes, we cannot just take care of people; you must destroy storage depots, airfields and logistics. These require weapons, intelligence and authorization to strike airfields and supply lines,” said a source who wished to remain anonymous.

Zelensky is expected to announce Ukraine’s plans soon when he submits the proposal to the European Council.