The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has been invited to Brussels by European Council President Charles Michel for the EU leaders’ summit, which starts on Thursday.
The two-day meeting will see Zelenskyy outline the latest developments in the ongoing conflict with Russia and present his so-called “victory plan”.
The Ukrainian leader first unveiled the plan during a visit to the United States in late September, where he discussed it with President Joe Biden and other political figures, including Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. However, The Wall Street Journal reported that US officials were not convinced, citing a lack of a comprehensive strategy.
Following the US trip, Zelenskyy embarked on a European tour, introducing the plan to leaders in the UK, Italy, France, and Germany, as well as the NATO Secretary-General. The proposal remains confidential, with Ukrainian officials only revealing that it aims to secure a “just and lasting peace” through military and diplomatic efforts.
Zelenskyy is expected on Wednesday to present the plan to Ukraine’s Parliament, although detailed contents will not be disclosed.
The invitation to the EU summit comes amid the ongoing war, which began on February 24, 2022, when Russian forces invaded Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin justified the military action as a bid to achieve “demilitarization and denazification” of Ukraine. This followed Russia’s recognition of the independence of the separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.
Since the invasion, Russia has claimed four regions—Kherson, Zaporizhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk—as its own, despite not fully controlling any of them. Ukraine remains steadfast in its goal to restore its territorial integrity, including the Crimean Peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014. For its part, Moscow demands recognition of the occupied territories as Russian and a guarantee that Ukraine will not join NATO as conditions for peace.
Zelenskyy’s appearance at the summit is expected to focus on rallying European support for Ukraine’s resistance against the Russian invasion and seeking further assistance for his country’s military and diplomatic efforts.
