Zelenskyy in U.S. to share his 'victory plan' with Harris, Trump

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyyis in the United States to set out a "victory plan" to hisclosest ally this week, in an urgent attempt to influence WhiteHouse policy on Ukraine's war with Russia no matter who wins the U.S. elections in November.

The Ukrainian leader has said he wants to present the planto U.S. President Joe Biden and his two potential successors, KamalaHarris and Donald Trump, during the trip, which will seeZelenskyyaddressing the UNGeneral Assembly on Tuesday.

Zelenskyyhas said that if the plan is backed by the West,it will have a broad impact on Moscow, including a psychologicalone that could help compel Russian President Vladimir Putin toend the war diplomatically.

"The victory plan envisages quick and concrete steps by ourstrategic partners from now until the end of December," Zelenskyytold reporters on Friday.

He added that the plan would act as a "bridge" to a secondUkraine-led summit on peace that Kyiv wants to hold and inviteRussia to later this year.

There is no alternative to peace, Zelenskyyhas said, "nofreezing of the war or any other manipulations that would simplypostpone Russian aggression to another stage."

Yet the two sides remain far apart.

Zelenskyy wants Ukraine inside NATO and the European Unionand Russia driven from all Ukrainian territory, although he saysthe latter aim can be achieved diplomatically. Putin says peacetalks can only begin if Kyiv abandons swaths of eastern andsouthern Ukraine to Russia and drops its NATO membership plan.

Zelenskyy's trip comes at a perilous juncture for Ukraine. ATrump victory in the Nov. 5 presidential election could prompt areset of Washington's policy on Ukraine, which relies heavily onU.S. military and financial support.

During a TV debate, Trump refused to say if he wantedUkraine to defeat Russia and said he would try to end the warbefore taking office if he wins. Harris accused Trump of seekingKyiv's swift and unconditional capitulation.

U.S. eager to discuss plan

As the election nears, Kyiv has put on a show of strength,rapidly seizing land in a high-risk Aug. 6 incursion intoRussia's Kursk region, touting new weapons including a "dronemissile" and ballistic weapon and launching major drone strikes.

One attack caused a massive blast at an ammo dump inRussia's Tver region last Wednesday.

Russia has ramped up drone and missile attacks, takenreceipt of Iranian ballistic missiles, according to the West,ordered an increase in the size of its army, moved to change itsnuclear doctrine and stepped up its eastern offensive.

U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan has said Bidenis eager to discuss Zelenskyy's "comprehensive strategy for success in this war" against Russia.

Zelenskyysaid his plan consists of a small number of pointsand that "all these points depend on Biden's decision, not Putin's."

On Friday, the leader said the steps involved establishingUkraine's place in the world's "security architecture,"battlefield decisions including the Kursk operation, bolsteringUkraine's armoury and supporting the economy.

'A pivotal moment'

Oleksandr Kovalenko, a Ukrainian military analyst, saidZelenskyymight press for longer-term assurances of aid into2025 and seek some kind of declaration of post-Biden continuityin support.

"This will be a very important moment. Perhaps in some ways,in a political and military-political sense, it will be apivotal moment," he said.

Zelenskyy is almost certain to repeat his call on Biden toauthorize long-range strikes into Russia, a move Moscow has saidwould make NATO members direct participants in the war andelicit a response.

WATCH | Putin draws red line on long-range missiles given by Ukraine's foreign partners:

Putin draws red line on long-range missiles given by Ukraines foreign partners | Canada Tonight

24 days ago

Duration 11:02

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned Western countries against supplying Ukraine with long-range missiles, saying NATO risks war if they cross this red line. Andrew Rasiulis, a fellow with the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, joins Canada Tonight to break down Putins warning.

Ukraine wants to strike military installations up to 300 kilometresinside Russia, such as airfields that host attackhelicopters and warplanes used to fire glide bombs. Washingtonhas said it does not see the easing of those restrictions as abattlefield game-changer.

Russia, which occupies 18 per centof Ukrainian territory, has beenon the offensive since last October and in August chalked up itsfastest sustained recent month of advances.

Ukraine's toehold in Russia's Kursk region could serve as abargaining chip at talks or as an insurance policy against anyoutside push to freeze the war along current lines. But Kyivwould have to hold the territory amid serious manpowerchallenges against a much larger foe.

Meanwhile, Russia has been making progress towardthetransport hub of Pokrovsk. Its capture could wreak havoc with Ukrainian logistics and open up new lines of attack.

Kovalenko said Russia likely wanted to capture Pokrovsk bythe year-end.

"That would allow them ... to strengthen pressure on theinformation front to catalyze thoughts of peace negotiations, naturally on their terms," he said.