Ukraine will win war next year with my ‘victory plan’ – Zelenskyy

President Zelenskyy claims he has the formula for Ukraine to win the war against Russia.

“The victory plan is designed for this moment,” he told EU leaders in Brussels this morning.

“I urge all of you to help make it happen. If we start now and follow the victory plan, we can end this war no later than next year.”

The Ukrainian president has spent the day touring Brussels, first the EU and then Nato, to garner support for his plan.

Officially the victory plan consists of five major aims, but there are said to be three more objectives which remain secret.

Ukraine can win the war against Russia next year if allies support the ‘Victory Plan’, President Zelenskyy told EU leaders in Brussels. pic.twitter.com/UdBvSJEh7u

— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) October 17, 2024

Central to his ambition is for allies to boost military supplies, tightening up sanctions and – controversially – for the West to install powerful non-nuclear weaponry in Ukraine to convince Russia to come to the negotiating table.

Such a “deterrence package,” as Zelenskyy calls it, would, he said, only be used “if Russia does not stop the war”.

He added: “Putin should respect our strength, not have the free world tremble at his threats.”

President Zelenskyy also wants an “immediate” invitation for Ukraine to join Nato, which currently has 32 members.

“At the moment, it seems that it will be Ukraine as member 33, but maybe somebody else pops in front of him. But Ukraine will be a member of Nato in the future”, said new Secretary General Mark Rutte. A turn of phrase which will not go down well in Kyiv.

Lithuania has been one of the most outspoken supporters of Ukraine. Speaking at the EU summit in Brussels this morning, President Gitanas Nausėda said the West has been failing Ukraine and should now step up.

“Our hesitance is the best way, direct way, to escalation. If we would support Ukraine, if Ukraine would be more successful on the ground, then I think Putin would be pressed to go to negotiation.”

Meanwhile, on the frontline, Russia is said to be losing one 1,000 soldiers per day, but continues to inch forward.

Two weeks ago, Russia finally captured the town of Vuhledar, in the Donbas region, which once had a population of 14,000, but has been largely deserted and obliterated by months of shelling.

Russia has also been systematically targeting Ukraine’s power supplies and many fear it will be a harsh winter for civilians.

The EU’s outgoing foreign affairs chief, Josep Borrell, urged allies to provide Ukraine with more air support.

“No country can work without electricity and 70 per cent of the electricity production has been destroyed,” he said.

“We provided new generators, but the new generators are being destroyed in the following day. We have to stop the cycle of ‘they destroy, we repair’.”

Exasperated, he warned that the grid could be completely destroyed without more air protection.

Whilst Zelenskyy is again strutting the world stage talking victory in 2025, he must know that getting there is going to be tough.