KYIV (Reuters) – President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was expected to present the long-awaited “Victory Plan” to Ukraine's parliament on Wednesday, after discussing it with his key Western allies during a rapid-fire tour in recent weeks.
With Russian troops advancing in the east and a dark winter of power shortages, Ukraine's leader says the plan, which includes seeking an invitation to join NATO, will force Moscow to negotiate an honest end to the war.
The exact details of the plan are unknown, but Ukrainian officials have previously suggested that it appeals to the West to step up arms purchases and authorize long-term strikes against Russia.
After two-and-a-half years of war, Zelenskiy's speech to parliament will likely aim to persuade a weary Ukrainian public that the war can be ended soon and ease fears that Western support is rapidly waning.
Ukraine is facing a tough time ahead of the November 5 US election that could return Donald Trump to the White House.
The former Republican president has pledged to quickly end the war before taking office if he wins, an idea that Kyiv supporters fear will involve major concessions in the name of a quick deal.
The President's office has not yet officially confirmed that Zelenskiy's speech will take place on Wednesday or say what time it will be.
But opposition lawmakers like Iryna Gerashchenko said some MPs were told to go to parliament for an unscheduled meeting and that it was “no longer a secret” that Zelenskiy would introduce the plan.
“I like to believe that (the program) is real, because the situation is really difficult,” he said.
Zelenskiy met with US President Joe Biden, his main ally, in Washington at the end of September to launch the plan. On a subsequent trip to Europe, he met with the leaders of Britain, France, Italy and Germany to discuss it.
Zelenskiy has been invited to attend the European Union leaders' conference in Brussels on Thursday to present the plan, said conference chairman Charles Michel.
