On October 16, 2024, Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, presented a “Victory Plan ” to Ukraine’s parliament (Verkhovna rada). The plan sets out a detailed strategy to end the Russian invasion and secure a stable future for Ukraine. It is focused on military, diplomatic, and political actions. It stresses the urgent need for more robust international support, especially from Western allies, but rejects peace settlements compromising Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
The first point of Zelensky’s Victory Plan counts with non-military measures. According to the plan, Ukraine needs assurances of NATO membership immediately as an invitation to NATO. Zelensky considers this an ultimate security guarantee for Ukraine after the war’s end. Even though Ukraine’s membership in NATO has been met with scepticism from some of the Western allies (Hungary, Slovakia), as they see it as an escalation of the conflict with Russia, it remains a cornerstone of Ukraine’s future defence strategy. According to Zelensky, Russia must see that Ukraine is ready to join the Western military pacts and that Western allies are eager to accept Ukraine into NATO.
Another part of Zelensky’s Victory Plan calls for the continuation and intensification of actions against the Russian military. Ukraine has conducted operations, such as the one in the Kursk region (Russia), by which Ukraine achieved military and territorial gains on Russian territory and proved its ability to conduct large-scale operations outside of the borders despite being outnumbered. However, such a success is insufficient to achieve victory without further Western support. Zelensky stressed that Ukraine would need advanced Western weaponry, especially long-range missiles, air defence systems or tanks. Also, to defeat Russia and regain the occupied territory, the plan calls to allow Ukraine to use Western long-range missiles on Russian territory or boost the Ukrainian military industry to allow Ukraine to be more self-sufficient. However, according to the plan, the delivery of Western weaponry must be done promptly, as delaying increased Western support for Ukraine will prolong the war and play into Russia’s hands by allowing them to rebuild their forces.
The third point of the plan is to establish deeper diplomatic ties with the West, particularly the European Union. It calls for Ukraine’s full political integration into Western institutions like the EU. It stresses the importance of maintaining international sanctions on Russia as a tool to weaken its military and economic capacity. The fourth point focuses on Ukraine’s strategic and financial potential with a classified annexe. In this point, Zelensky proposes to establish agreements with the United States, the European Union and other allies to enable joint investments and the development of its natural resources such as titanium, uranium, lithium, graphite, and others, which, according to Zelensky Worth of trillions of dollars. The fifth point of Zelensky’s Victory Plan strategically focuses on the post-war era, aiming to reshape the military dynamics within NATO and the broader European defence landscape. Ukraine, leveraging its extensive combat experience gained during the war with Russia, envisions playing a pivotal role in NATO’s defence infrastructure. The plan proposes that Ukrainian forces could replace part of the U.S. military presence in Europe after the conflict, positioning Ukraine as a key military player in European security.
Moreover, Volodymyr Zelensky’s Victory Plan for Ukraine also focuses on deterring the Russian aggressor. According to the plan, Ukraine proposes deploying non-nuclear deterrent measures on its territory. Last but not least, Zelensky’s plan also strongly rejects any territorial concessions. It firmly opposes any peace deals that involve surrendering Ukrainian land to Russia, especially the regions of Donbas and Crimea, which have been under Russian occupation since 2014.
Russia reacted to the plan with scepticism, calling on Ukrainian leaders to sobber and accept the reality. However, the international reaction to Zelensky’s Victory Plan has been mostly supportive, though with some reservations. Western nations, especially the U.S. and European allies, generally back Ukraine’s goal of reclaiming its territory and bringing an end to the war. They admire Ukraine’s resilience and are committed to providing ongoing assistance. However, some parts of the plan, particularly launching deeper strikes into Russian territory, have raised concerns. Many Western leaders have expressed their worries that more aggressive tactics could escalate the conflict beyond Ukraine, with the potential of dragging NATO into a broader confrontation with Russia. Still, some Western countries argue that there’s a balance needed between helping Ukraine win the war and preventing a direct clash between NATO and Russian forces, which could have unpredictable and dangerous consequences. As a result, while Ukraine has clear economic and material support, some of its bolder military strategies are being approached with caution by its allies.
Despite the concerns from some allies, it is clear that Ukraine is running out of time. The country cannot afford to delay its efforts to push back Russian forces. Zelensky views the Victory Plan as more than just a military strategy—it’s a step toward securing peace, but only if Ukraine continues to make tangible progress on the battlefield. The idea is that Ukraine’s military successes will pressure Russia into negotiations, increasing the chances of a potential peace summit later in the year. Zelensky has repeatedly urged his Western allies to act swiftly and decisively. For him, the longer the war drags on, the harder it will be to achieve a clear victory. The time is not on Ukraine’s side, and any delays in military or economic support could allow Russia to regroup and further entrench its position. To ensure Ukraine that Ukraine seizes the momentum, Western partners must provide the crucial resources without hesitation. Also, even if Western allies decide to boost the support, the outcome of the U.S. presidential elections will be critical. The victory of the republican candidate Donald Trump could severely impact Ukraine’s plan to win the war, as the republican candidate repeats his will to stop the support for Ukraine. Also, despite the fact some Western leaders worry about constantly crossing repeated red lines from Moscow (attacking with Western missiles on Russian territory), they should reconsider the consequences of not bolstering the support of Ukraine, which could cause exploitation of its army resources and continuous retreat on the frontlines of Eastern Ukraine, causing the outcome that western allies could drastically regret in the future. Therefore, Ukraine’s support in its fight against the Russian invasion is crucial in securing the stability of Europe and the world.