Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is poised to garner backing from European Union leaders on Thursday as he presents what he describes as a “victory plan” aimed at concluding the ongoing conflict with Russia.
During his address at the EU summit in Brussels, Zelenskyy is also expected to meet with NATO defense ministers in a separate engagement. The EU has been a pivotal ally for Ukraine, which aspires to join the 27-member bloc, in its struggle against Russia’s invasion that commenced over two and a half years ago.
On Wednesday, Zelenskyy discussed a five-point strategic framework to Ukraine’s parliament, but he did not reveal sensitive components that had previously been shared discreetly with significant allies, including the United States.
Responses at NATO regarding the plan were restrained. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte remarked that he and the allied nations “take note” of Zelenskyy’s plan without discussing potential timelines for Ukraine’s accession to the military alliance. Rutte emphasized that Ukraine’s membership is inevitable in the future.
He stated, “The plan contains numerous elements along with political and military matters that require extensive discussions with Ukrainian officials so we can ascertain what is viable and what is not,” during his remarks at NATO’s headquarters.
Key elements of Zelenskyy’s proposal involve a request for NATO membership and the utilization of Western-supplied longer-range missiles to target military assets deep within Russia—both points which have met hesitance from international allies thus far.
A preliminary version of the EU summit’s conclusions, which is subject to modification before the formal announcement later on Thursday, reiterates the bloc’s commitment to offering ongoing support—political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military, and diplomatic—to Ukraine and its citizens “for as long as necessary and with the required intensity. Russia must not triumph.”
The discussions in Brussels unfold while Ukrainian forces are contending with better-equipped Russian units, particularly in the eastern Donetsk region, where they are experiencing gradual setbacks. Ukraine continues to rely on Western aid, but has voiced concerns that this support is coming at an insufficient pace.
At their Washington summit in July, the 32 NATO members declared Ukraine to be on an “irreversible” track toward membership.
However, NATO currently finds itself in a stagnant phase. The United States, its largest and most influential member, is embroiled in the lead-up to a presidential election, and European partners are not expecting substantial progress regarding Ukraine’s membership until a new president takes office in January.
Moreover, both the United States and Germany, a significant European power, are profoundly anxious about the risks of escalating into a broader conflict with nuclear-capable Russia. They are among a coalition of nations that are opposed to Ukraine’s NATO membership until the ongoing war reaches a conclusion.
