Biden administration 'unimpressed' with Ukraine's victory plan - WSJ
Illustrative photo (Getty Images)
American officials are expressing concern that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's plan for victory in the war against Russia seems more like a request for additional weapons rather than a comprehensive strategy, citing The Wall Street Journal.
According to them, Zelenskyy has been promoting this plan for several months as the foundation for victory.
However, American and European leaders familiar with the general outlines of the plan believe that it does not offer a clear path to victory, especially amid ongoing Russian military successes on the battlefield.
"I'm unimpressed, there's not much new there," said one senior official.
One of the central points of the plan requires the US to give Ukraine a green light on the use of weapons at Kyiv’s discretion, said Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
He added that without such authorization, Ukraine's proposals will ultimately be "less relevant" as Kyiv will struggle to respond to continuing Russian attacks.
For several months, Biden has refused to concede to Ukraine’s long-standing request to lift restrictions on the supply of American and British long-range missiles, which would allow Ukrainian forces to strike military targets deep within Russia.
Despite persistent requests from his British counterpart, Biden stands firm, as US officials argue that such weapons would not change the strategic situation and might push Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to escalate the war.
Ukraine's victory plan
This month, Volodymyr Zelenskyy will present Ukraine's victory plan to US President Joe Biden, as well as to the two presidential candidates — Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris.
As Zelenskyy previously explained, the presentation of the plan will help Ukraine understand whether its allies are ready to support it in achieving victory.
According to Andrii Yermak, head of the President's Office, the plan includes specific steps aimed at securing a just and lasting peace, including an invitation for Ukraine to join NATO.
At the same time, the spokesperson for the Russian dictator, Dmitry Peskov, said that the Kremlin is ready to examine the Ukrainian plan if it is published through official channels.
