Zelenskyj came to Brussels on Thursday to present his new victory plan to European heads of state and government at the EU summit.
There he warned against supporting all parts of the five-point plan.
– It will be a big mistake. It will be to strengthen Russia, Zelenskyj stated at a meeting with the press afterwards.
Orban warns
Several of the heaviest EU countries, such as France and Germany, have already been briefed on the plan, which, according to Zelenskyj, could end the war within a year.
– The plan will strengthen Ukraine. The good thing about it is that it does not depend on Russian goodwill, he said.
Zelenskyj will later on Thursday present the plan at the NATO defense ministers’ meeting.
The Ukrainian president also says that most of those who spoke at the EU meeting expressed full support.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is, however, among those who warn against the victory plan.
– It is more than terrifying, Orban writes Facebook.
Asking for NATO invitation
A central point in the plan is that NATO sends a formal invitation to Ukraine for membership in the alliance.
– It will give our people hope. The Ukrainian people are our most important weapon in this war. An invitation will give us the feeling that we are not alone, Zelenskyj said – knowing that it will take time to get the NATO membership itself approved.
In addition, it will make Vladimir Putin realize that his geopolitical calculations are worthless, believes the Ukrainian president.
A decision to send an invitation requires unanimity in NATO. Until now, the prevailing opinion has been that it is not possible to send an invitation to a country at war.
At the same time, NATO has repeated a number of times that Ukraine has a place in the alliance, but has not said anything about when or how this will happen.
– Will hate Putin
After more than two and a half years of war, Ukraine is on the retreating front in the Donbas region in the east of the country. At the same time, the pressure on an exit strategy is increasing, which, according to Zelenskyj, can only happen with increased Western support.
The president will now have the green light to use Western weapons against targets inside Russia. The USA and Germany in particular have been reticent here.
– This is how the Russians can feel the war firsthand and start hating Putin for it, he told the EU leaders.
Discussed with Trump
Zelenskyj has also discussed the victory plan with both US President Joe Biden and presidential candidate Donald Trump.
– Trump listened. He said I had good arguments, he says.
However, Trump’s vice presidential candidate JD Vance has pronounced that there is no place in NATO for Ukraine.
Zelenskyj also says he has intelligence showing Russian plans to send up to 10,000 North Korean soldiers to the war.
– This is the first step towards a new world war, he warns.
Need money
Among the things that the EU countries will discuss is the plan for a new loan to Ukraine of 35 billion euros – with certainty in the returns from the Russian funds that are frozen in European banks.
– It is important that we get the money as quickly as possible, emphasizes Zelenskyj.
He also asks Hungary to stop blocking a decision to extend the “freezing period” for the Russian funds from six months to three years. Such an expansion could lead to, among other things, the United States providing more support.
In addition, Hungary has for over a year blocked a payment to Ukraine from the European Peace Facility (EPF) fund totaling 6.6 billion euros.
#Zelenskyj #warns #Lack #support #victory #plan #strengthen #Russia
