KYIV, Ukraine — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told lawmakers Wednesday that Ukraine’s Western partners are increasing pressure to negotiate with Russia, but he hinted such talks would be unfavorable to Kyiv as he unveiled what he called his “victory plan” for the war.
Major points of the plan include an invitation for Ukraine to join NATO and permission to use Western-supplied longer-range missiles to strike military targets deep inside Russian territory — steps that have been met with reluctance by Kyiv’s allies so far.
“If we start moving according to this victory plan now, it may be possible to end the war no later than next year,” Zelenskyy told the Verkhovna Rada, the parliament. He will present the five-point plan to the European Council on Thursday.
Zelenskyy also said that in private communications with Ukraine, its partners are increasingly mentioning “negotiations” and much less frequently using the word “justice.”
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But he reiterated that Ukraine is not prepared for a “frozen conflict” or any “trade-offs involving territory or sovereignty,” which drew sustained applause from the lawmakers.
As the war grinds through its third year, the mood in Ukraine is grim as its troops face difficulty holding back Russian advances, especially in the east. Though Moscow’s gains are incremental, the steady forward movement is making Kyiv feel it needs more large-scale Western help.
But there are signs that support may be hurt by the increasing focus on conflicts in the Middle East. The U.S. presidential election next month also could bring a major shift from Washington toward Ukraine.
Zelenskyy and U.S. President Joe Biden spoke by phone later Wednesday to discuss a new $425 million package of security assistance for Ukraine from Washington, the White House said.
Asked about Ukraine’s “victory plan,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responded, “That’s their plan, and let them speak to it.”