Zelensky Brings ‘Victory Plan’ to Western Allies

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky brought a “victory plan” to Western allies this week amid his country’s ongoing war with Russia.

On Thursday, Zelensky arrived to 10 Downing Street in London to meet with officials from Britain and NATO, including U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. Zelensky later traveled to Paris on Thursday to meet with President Emmanuel Macron.

Though the full details of Zelensky’s “victory plan” have not been made public yet, he said after his meeting in the U.K. that the plan “aims to create the right conditions for a just end to the war” against Russia.

U.K. officials such as Defense Secretary John Healey and Armed Forces Chief Admiral Tony Radakin attended the meeting at Downing Street. Starmer described the session as an opportunity to “go through the plan, to talk in more detail.”

“We have agreed to work on it together with our allies,” Zelensky said of the meeting in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Zelensky is also scheduled to travel this week to Rome to speak with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as well as to Berlin to meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Zelensky had originally planned to unveil his blueprint for ending the war during a weekend meeting of Western leaders and defense ministers in Germany. However, the event was postponed after U.S. President Joe Biden announced he would remain in the U.S. to address the aftermath of Hurricane Milton’s landfall in Florida. On Wednesday, Zelensky said that he hoped his meeting with Biden could soon be rescheduled.

Ukraine remains heavily dependent on Western backing, including tens of billions of dollars in military and financial aid, as it continues its nearly 1,000-day battle against its much larger adversary.

Concerned that shifting political landscapes in donor countries could threaten vital support, Ukraine has ramped up efforts to strengthen its domestic arms industry. The government is also seeking additional funding from taxpayers to sustain the war effort.

On Thursday, the Ukrainian parliament approved a bill on second reading that would raise the military tax from 1.5 percent to 5 percent, with some amendments expected before it becomes law.

While the specifics of Zelensky’s plan remain under wraps, key elements have surfaced, including a push for swift action on decisions that Western allies have been considering since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

Speaking at a summit in Croatia on Wednesday alongside southeastern European leaders, Zelensky said the plan aims to bolster Ukraine “both geopolitically and on the battlefield” before any potential talks with Russia.

“Weakness of any of our allies will inspire (Russian President Vladimir) Putin,” Zelensky said on Thursday. “That’s why we’re asking them to strengthen us, in terms of security guarantees, in terms of weapons, in terms of our future after this war. In my view, he (Putin) only understands force.”

Kyiv continues to wait for a response from its Western allies on repeated requests to deploy long-range weapons for strikes deep within Russia. While some nations, like the U.K., are reportedly open to the idea, Biden has hesitated, citing concerns that it could further escalate the conflict.

Ukraine’s president last traveled to London in July, shortly after the Labour Party, led by Keir Starmer, took office. During the visit, he addressed a session of the British Cabinet.

Dave Pares, a spokesperson for Starmer’s said that the meeting on Thursday would include “broad strategic discussions” on support from the U.K. and other Western allies to Ukraine during a “crucial period.”

The visit comes as Russia pushes forward with its slow but unyielding advance into Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, while also targeting critical infrastructure through ongoing airstrikes.

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.