President Volodymyr Zelenskiy travels to the United States this week to set out a “victory plan” for his closest ally in an urgent attempt to influence White House policy on Ukraine’s war with Russia no matter who wins the U.S. elections in November. The Ukrainian leader says he wants to present the plan to President Joe Biden and his two potential successors, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. He will also address the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday.
The visit comes at a difficult moment, as the West struggles to maintain robust aid for Ukraine’s fight against Russian-backed separatists and amid broader concerns about the cost of the conflict. The trip across the Atlantic will see 3 1/2 days of meetings and speeches as Zelensky tries to bolster support at a time when portions of the world are looking to move on.
While the details of Zelenskiy’s plan remain shrouded in secrecy, he has hinted at its potential to bring about significant change. The plan is said to pave the way for a second Ukraine-led summit on peace, a move that Kyiv hopes will include Moscow later this year. Zelenskiy has made it clear that his plan will not tolerate any ‘frozen conflicts’ or other tactics that merely delay Russian aggression to a later stage.
As part of his plan, he has reportedly pushed for the use of Ukraine’s US-supplied long-range missiles to target Russian military sites deep inside Russia; something experts say is essential if Ukraine is to have any chance at winning. The plan will also likely include a demand for Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukraine’s territory and to de-escalate the war.
Zelenskiy’s visit to Washington is not just a diplomatic formality, but a crucial opportunity to engage with key leaders. His meetings with top leaders of partner countries, both parties in Congress, and the presidential candidates, as well as his subsequent visit to the United Nations, are all significant steps in his mission to garner support for his ‘victory plan. ‘
The trip provides a rare opportunity to promote Zelensky’s plan to a broad audience, paying close attention to developments in Ukraine’s war with Russia. The UN General Assembly is an ideal forum to reach non-Western countries and some that have tried to stay out of the conflict, including Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Iran’s leader, Hassan Rouhani. Some senior officials believe that a robust plan presentation can help bring others on board as the conflict enters its third year and escalates. Bringing on board more countries could prove critical to ensuring the continued flow of crucial assistance, especially as some Republicans in Congress are seeking to reduce aid for Ukraine. Read More