These days, President Zelenskyy presented a five-point plan for Ukraine's victory. He first presented the plan to US President Joe Biden and then discussed it with the leaders of Germany, France, the UK and Italy. Some of the points are still classified. Therefore, most of the publications in the Western media focused on discussions of the victory plan and further steps to implement it.
The first point is to invite Ukraine to join NATO before the end of the war. According to Zelenskyy, this would be a sign of determination and show russia that putin has lost geopolitically to the world. Reuters writes that NATO chief Mark Rutte said he was aware of the details of the President's plan for Ukraine's victory and was in contact with NATO member states about the next steps.
In addition, Mark Rutte urged member states to produce more weapons and ammunition as the Alliance is on track to meet its target of spending €40 billion on Ukraine this year, Bloomberg reports.
No less important is the second point - defence. It includes continuing operations on russian territory and lifting restrictions on strikes on its territory, air defence, joint shooting down of russian aircraft with partners, expanding the use of Ukrainian drones, etc. CNN notes that the Commander-in-Chief of the US Armed Forces in Europe has compiled a list of weapons systems that the US possesses that could help Ukraine in its fight against russia, but which the Biden administration has not yet provided, including air-to-ground missiles and a secure communications network used in NATO.
Reuters reports that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced a €1.4 billion military aid package for Ukraine until the end of 2024, saying it is a direct signal to russia that the West will not stop supporting Kyiv. The aid will be provided jointly with partner countries Belgium, Denmark and Norway and will include more air defence equipment, tanks, combat drones and artillery.
Bloomberg writes that according to US officials, Ukraine will be able to hold territory in russia's Kursk region for at least several months. According to officials, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are currently receiving a steady supply of artillery ammunition. The steady supply of shells is partly due to the efforts of allies, including the Czech Republic's ammunition initiative and the efforts of the United States and France to develop Ukraine's artillery capabilities in the long term.
All the points of Ukraine's victory plan have a clear timeline, and its goal is to bring the war to a fair end and establish a just peace, as envisaged by the peace formula. We expect positive feedback, quick decisions and concrete steps from our Western partners in the near future. After all, as President Zelenskyy noted, helping Ukraine is a way to preserve a just world order.
The cutting edge of drone warfare is the front line of Ukraine’s defense against Russia, where soldiers and manufacturers are innovating to counter Moscow’s battlefield advantages.
In recent months, Ukraine has launched drones that intercept Russian flying machines or incinerate tree lines by dropping molten metal. Also in testing: drones that carry automatic rifles and grenade launchers.
With a smaller military and fewer resources, Ukraine is relying on tech to combat Russia’s might. Once limited to dropping bomblets, Ukraine’s drones now do everything from planting mines to delivering supplies.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy unveiled his much anticipated "victory plan" on Wednesday, calling on his allies to take urgent steps to bolster Kyiv at a precarious moment in a bid to end the war with Russia next year.
As Moscow's forces advance in the east and a bleak winter of power cuts looms, he told parliament his plan contained five main points that were in the hands of his allies, including an unconditional invite to join NATO now and weapons support.
NATO chief Mark Rutte said he was aware of the details of Ukraine's "victory plan" that was presented by the country's president on Wednesday, and that he was in touch with the alliance's member countries on the next steps.
While reiterating a position that the process of making Ukraine a future NATO member - a key demand of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy - was "irreversible", Rutte said the victory plan included other elements and that he was discussing the full plan with members.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday announced a 1.4 billion euro ($1.53 billion) military aid package for Ukraine by the end of 2024, telling President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that it was a signal to Russia that the West would not stop supporting Kyiv.
The aid will be given jointly with partner countries Belgium, Denmark and Norway and includes more air defence, tanks, combat drones and artillery.
"It is a clear message to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin - playing for time will not work. We will not let up in our support for Ukraine," Scholz said. Germany's Scholz announces more military aid as Zelenskiy visits Berlin
NATO chief Mark Rutte urged member states to produce more weapons and ammunition as he affirmed the alliance is on track to meet a €40 billion ($44 billion) spending target this year for Ukraine.
The new secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization urged a new focus on scaling up defense production, including equipment for land, air and sea as well as shells. At the same time, NATO is set to meet a spending pledge after committing €20.9 billion in the first half, he said.
The US assesses that Ukraine will be able to hold onto the territory its forces have claimed in Russia’s Kursk region for at least several months if not longer, according to senior American officials.
Kyiv’s forces are now also seeing a steadier supply of artillery ammunition after months of suffering through shortages, the officials said. The steadier supply of shells is credited in part to efforts by allies, including a Czech-led initiative to deliver the munitions and a US-French led effort to develop Ukraine’s artillery capability over the long run.
US military compiled list of American weapons systems that could help Ukraine in the war with Russia
The US military’s top commander in Europe compiled a list of weapons systems the US possesses that could help Ukraine in its fight against Russia that the Biden administration has not yet provided, including air-to-surface missiles and a secure communications network used by NATO.
The list included the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile, a type of air-launched cruise missile, and a communications system known as the Link 16 — a data sharing network used by the US and NATO that is supposed to enable more seamless communication between battle systems and is particularly useful for air and missile defense command and control. Ukraine has asked for both systems repeatedly, another source familiar with their requests said.