Victory plan on table for Biden, Harris, and Trump: Key highlights from Zelenskyy's visit to US

Contents

• Scandal over Pennsylvania visit
• Key statements on war and peace
• Major military aid
• Victory plan presented without specifics

Scandal over Pennsylvania visit

The visit began with a tour of an ammunition factory in Scranton, Pennsylvania, which is fully loaded to meet Ukraine's needs for producing 155mm shells. Following this, Zelenskyy met with Governor Josh Shapiro and local top Democrats to sign a cooperation agreement between the state and Zaporizhzhia region. Key areas of collaboration include energy, agriculture, and defense.

The factory in Scranton, which is President Joe Biden's hometown, is a significant enterprise for the Democrats' election campaign. The White House frequently cites the factory as an example of how military aid to Ukraine creates jobs. Additionally, Pennsylvania is a key swing state, and the election results here are likely to determine who becomes the next President of the United States.

Photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy at an Army Ammunition Plant in Pennsylvania (t.me/ V_Zelenskiy_official)

The fact that none of the Republicans accompanied Zelenskyy during his visit sparked controversy, with some interpreting it as open support for Kamala Harris. Donald Trump’s team seized the opportunity to accuse the President of interfering in the elections.

Trump claimed that Zelenskyy supposedly wanted Harris to win and made a sharp remark against him: "I think Zelenskyy is the greatest salesman in history – every time he comes into the country, he walks away with US$60 billion". He promised that if elected, he would change the US approach to Ukraine.

Read more in the material by RBC-Ukraine.

House Speaker Mike Johnson demanded the dismissal of Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova, alleging that she intentionally did not invite Republicans for the trip to Scranton. Additionally, Republican James Comer, who heads the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, initiated an investigation into the factory visit. He demanded an explanation of whether the Harris campaign event (as Trump supporters interpreted Zelenskyy’s trip) was funded by American taxpayers.

Trump continued to accuse Zelenskyy of making “nasty little aspersions” toward him and added that Zelenskyy refuses to make a deal with Putin to end the war.

Following such loud remarks, it became clear that Trump was deliberately trying to disrupt the meeting with Zelenskyy, during which the Ukrainian President aimed to present his plan for victory. However, Zelenskyy delayed his departure by a day, and the meeting took place.

For more details on how Ukraine became a focal point in the US elections and why Trump decided to meet with Zelenskyy, see the material by RBC-Ukraine.

Key statements on war and peace

During events at the 79th UN General Assembly, Zelenskyy made several important statements. At the plenary session of the Summit of the Future, he emphasized that Ukraine needs peace and stable development.

“We are preparing a document to present at the second Peace Summit. I invite all leaders, nations to continue supporting our joint efforts for a just and peaceful future! Putin has stolen much already, but he will never steal the world’s future,” said the President.

Later, at the UN Security Council, he expressed hope that one day in that chamber it will be said that Russia’s war against Ukraine has ended not because anyone is tired of the war or has bargained something from Putin, but because the UN Charter will start working. “It must work. Our Ukrainian right to self-defense must prevail,” Zelenskyy declared.

Photo: At the UN Security Council, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russia was preparing an attack on nuclear power plants (president.gov.ua)

Russia has no answers as to why it targets schools and hospitals and fighting to cut off the electricity supply to a neighboring country. Putin has nothing to say about why he is trying to involve Belarus and effectively makes Iran and North Korea his allies. As winter approaches, Russia is acting cynically in its attempts to destroy Ukraine's energy sector.

"They’re preparing to target our nuclear power plants, three of them – we have this information, and we have proof of this. If Russia is ready to go that far, it means – nothing you value matters to Moscow," he stated.

To move closer to ending the war, a second World Summit is needed. Ukraine invites everyone to join the process - China, Brazil, India, African countries, Latin America, the Middle East, and others, the President added.

Later, in an interview with ABC News, he remarked that the victory plan must strengthen Ukraine. "I think that we are closer to the peace than we think. We are closer to the end of the war," Zelenskyy noted.

In his major speech at the General Assembly, he began by addressing Russia's nuclear threats. He stated that strikes on energy facilities are one of Putin's methods to torture millions of Ukrainians. Currently, he is planning attacks on nuclear power plants while obtaining detailed information through satellites from other countries. However, any strike or critical incident could lead to a nuclear catastrophe.

"If, God forbid, Russia causes a nuclear disaster at one of our nuclear power plants, radiation won’t respect state borders, and unfortunately, various nations could feel the devastating effects," the President warned.

He also criticized alternative peace plans, asserting that they not only disregard Ukraine's interests but also provide Putin with the space to continue the war. Therefore, it is essential to ensure the integrity of the country, achieve the withdrawal of Russian troops, and prevent a second or third phase of Russia's invasion.

Statements regarding the war and how it should end came not only from him. US President Joe Biden emphasized that the world has no right to tire of Ukraine and promised that America would not abandon its support.

For more details, see the material "Last time as president. Key points from Biden's farewell speech at UN".

Major military aid

The Biden administration announced a $375 million aid package, which will include air-to-ground munitions, munitions for HIMARS, artillery shells, anti-tank systems, armored personnel carriers, automotive equipment, boats, small arms, and more.

Photo: US President Joe Biden announces nearly $8 billion in aid to Ukraine (president.gov.ua)

Shortly after, it was announced that President Biden has authorized a record aid package of $7.9 billion. This includes the transfer of air defense systems, drones, and an additional Patriot system. For the first time, the package also includes long-range Joint Stand-off Weapons (JSOW) cruise bombs.

These munitions can be launched from F-16 fighter jets and feature retractable wings that allow them to hit targets up to 130 km away. Several variants exist, but Ukraine is expected to receive the version equipped with cluster munitions.

For more details on this weapon, see the material "Advantages of JSOW aerial bomb: Will Ukraine be able to utilize it fully?"

Additionally, this week it was revealed that Germany will allocate an extra €170 million for energy needs and about €400 million for military assistance. This funding will be used to purchase air defense systems, tanks, drones, munitions, and spare parts. Just a few days prior, Berlin had already announced the transfer of 22 tanks, 12 Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled howitzers, and tens of thousands of shells.

Expectations for the US visit were high, particularly regarding the anticipated lifting of restrictions on strikes using long-range weapons deep into Russia. No decision has yet been made, though British Foreign Secretary David Lammy believes it could happen before winter begins.

According to the NYT, American intelligence fears that a green light from Washington would only escalate Moscow's aggression. The Times reported that Zelenskyy would leave the US without authorization for missile strikes against Russia.

Victory plan presented without specifics

Ahead of the visit, Zelenskyy held a closed-door meeting with Biden to present the victory plan that has been actively discussed for over a month. However, it again lacked specific details. "Let me be clear. Russia will not prevail in war," Biden stated, promising continued support.

It is known that the parties coordinated their views and will consult on the next steps. The leaders discussed the diplomatic, economic, and military aspects of the plan, which will be examined in detail in the coming weeks. Progress will be reviewed at the next meeting, scheduled for October 12 in Germany during the meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group.

Photo: US presidential candidate Kamala Harris says proposals to surrender Ukraine are unacceptable (president.gov.ua)

As planned, Zelenskyy presented his victory plan to presidential candidate Kamala Harris (Democratic Party). She emphasized that no decisions regarding the war can be made without Ukraine, although some in the US are attempting to pressure Ukraine into territorial concessions.

She said that these proposals sound similar to Putin’s offers. However, they are not peace proposals, they are proposals for capitulation. "This is dangerous and unacceptable," she added, clearly referring to signals from the Republican camp.

Before his meeting in the New York skyscraper Trump Tower, the Republican candidate avoided directly answering whether Ukraine should concede territory, stating that peace is needed. During the meeting, he mentioned a shared view that the war should be stopped. Trump boasted of his good relations with Putin, and Zelenskyy responded by expressing hope that his relationship with Trump was better. "It takes two to tango," Trump said, referring to peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.

As of 7 p.m. Kyiv time, the meeting was over.

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The victory plan is still known only in general terms. It consists of five points, including figures and amounts of military aid, diplomatic and political steps, and an invitation for Ukraine to join NATO. The plan aims to force Moscow to agree to end the war without any concessions from Kyiv.

Its prospects are unclear. According to The Wall Street Journal, the plan did not impress the Biden administration, as it appears more like a request for additional weapons rather than a comprehensive victory strategy.

For more details on how the US received Zelenskyy's victory plan and whether there will be a green light, read the material by RBC-Ukraine.