Ukraine’s Zelensky says ‘victory plan’ is ready
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pledged in August to present his “victory plan” to US President Joe Biden.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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KYIV – President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sept 18 that his “victory plan”, intended to bring peace to Ukraine while keeping the country strong and avoiding all “frozen conflicts”, was now complete after much consultation.
Mr Zelensky pledged in August to present his plan to US President Joe Biden, presumably next week, when he attends sessions of the UN Security Council and General Assembly.
While providing daily updates on the plan’s preparation, Mr Zelensky has given few clues of the contents, indicating only that it aims to create terms acceptable to Ukraine, now locked in conflict with Russia for more than 2 ½ years.
“Today, it can be said that our victory plan is fully prepared. All the points, all key focus areas and all necessary detailed additions of the plan have been defined,” Mr Zelensky said in his nightly video address.
“The most important thing is the determination to implement it.”
There was, Mr Zelensky said, no alternative to peace, “no freezing of the war or any other manipulations that would simply postpone Russian aggression to another stage”.
On Sept 17, Mr Zelensky said a meeting with top commanders had produced “good and strong content” in military terms, “precisely the kind that can significantly strengthen Ukraine”.
The Ukrainian President has based negotiations on a peace plan he presented in late 2022
The plan was the focal point of a “peace summit” hosted by Switzerland in June, the next gathering.
Mr Zelensky has rejected any notion of negotiations while Russian troops occupy nearly 20 per cent of the country’s territory.
Russia has repeatedly said it is willing to negotiate, but rules out discussions while Ukrainian forces remain in its southern Kursk region, following an incursion into the area
