KYIV (Reuters) -Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday a “victory plan” he wants to present to U.S. President Joe Biden this month would strengthen Kyiv and have a “psychological” impact that could push Russia to end its war diplomatically.
Speaking at Kyiv’s annual Crimean Platform event, Zelenskiy said it was important that Ukraine presented the plan to its allies before a second international summit on peace that he wants to hold later this year.
“If partners support it (the plan), it will make it easier for Ukraine to force Russia to end the war,” he said.
“What is this plan for? It is a serious strengthening of Ukraine and, in my opinion, it will have both psychological and political… influence on Russia’s decision to end this war.”
Zelenskiy first spoke of the plan last month, saying he wanted to discuss it with Biden and his two potential successors after the U.S. presidential election in November.
Zelenskiy is expected to travel to the United Nations General Assembly later this month.
It comes at a critical juncture in the war, with Russian troops continuing to inch forward in eastern Ukraine despite Kyiv’s forces launching a surprise incursion last month into Russia’s Kursk region.
Ukraine has been pushing for a follow-up summit to advance its vision of peace. The first summit, held in Switzerland in June, pointedly excluded Russia, while attracting scores of delegations.
Kyiv has said it supports Russia attending the follow-up one as many countries in the Global South would like to see both sides in the war attend. Moscow has said it won’t negotiate with Kyiv as long as Ukrainian forces are on its territory.
(Reporting by Yurii Kovalenko, Yuliia Dysa; Writing by Tom Balmforth; Editing by Alison Williams and Gareth Jones)
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