Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to present his “plan for victory” to President Joe Biden during his upcoming visit to the United States this week. Following his meeting with Biden, Zelensky intends to share the plan with Congress and the two major candidates in the upcoming US presidential election—Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.
Despite previously criticizing US support for Ukraine and praising Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump indicated he will “probably” meet with Zelensky. This visit aligns with the White House’s efforts to prepare a new $375 million military aid package for Ukraine. “This fall will determine the future of this war,” Zelensky emphasized in a post on X, accompanied by a nightly video address from his plane.
Ahead of his visit, Zelensky outlined three key components of his victory plan: increasing military weapon donations, pursuing diplomatic efforts to pressure Russia into peace negotiations, and holding Moscow accountable for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Ukraine has been advocating for Western allies, including the US and UK, to lift restrictions on the use of long-range missiles, enabling strikes on Russian targets believed to launch attacks against Ukraine. Earlier in September, Putin warned that such strikes would be seen as “direct participation” by NATO in the conflict. When asked whether he would allow Ukraine to utilize US-made long-range weapons, President Biden responded with a definitive “no.”
While Trump has claimed he could end the war “within 24 hours” if elected, he has not provided specific details, labeling US support for Ukraine as a waste of resources. According to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who met with Trump in March, the former president stated he would “not give a penny in the Ukraine-Russia war,” suggesting that would lead to an end to the conflict.
Zelensky expressed gratitude for the support Ukraine has received from its allies, particularly the US, which has been the largest foreign donor, providing $56 billion for Ukraine’s defense. “I thank every nation and every leader who recognizes that this war is about much more than just the fate of our Ukrainian people,” he stated.
Following his Washington visit, Zelensky is expected to travel to New York, where he will attend a meeting of the UN Security Council on Tuesday and deliver a speech at the General Assembly on Wednesday.
