Zelenskyy presents Ukraine’s ‘victory plan’ in parliamentary address

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday presented his “victory plan,” a blueprint aimed at ending the war with Russia that continues since February 2022, to the parliament.

Speaking at the Verkhovna Rada in the capital Kyiv, Zelenskyy outlined five points that formulate the plan, the first of which is an invitation to join NATO.

“We understand that NATO membership is a matter of the future, not the present. But (Russian President Vladimir) Putin must see that his geopolitical calculations are losing,” Zelenskyy said.

He listed the remaining points: defense, non-nuclear deterrence, economy, and post-conflict security in the Euro-Atlantic region.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine proposes to deploy a “comprehensive non-nuclear strategic deterrence package” that will protect the country from Russian attacks.

He said Ukraine's critical resource deposits are among Russia's key goals in the ongoing conflict, calling on the bolstering of the country’s economic potential.

“These (resources) include, in particular, uranium, titanium, lithium, graphite and other strategically valuable resources that will strengthen either Russia and its allies or Ukraine and the democratic world in global competition,” he said.

The Ukrainian president said the plan also contains three secret annexes. “If we start moving on this victory plan now, we may be able to end the war by next year at the latest,” he added.