Volodymyr Zelensky He left Ukraine with the idea of visiting three countries before the end of the day. For months, the president has warned the world against developing a “victory plan” that his allies should adopt as a road map to achieve “a just end” to the war. The first to learn of his project were, at the end of September, the current President of the United States, Joe Bidenand the two candidates to replace him after the November elections, the Democrat Kamala Harris and the republican Donald Trump.
The trip was worse than expected. Zelensky returned to kyiv unimpressed by his main military and diplomatic support, and with the feeling that whoever succeeds him will be less responsive to emergencies on the ground.
The plan is not public, but some media outlets have uncovered some of its points. In particular, Zelensky is seeking authorization to use long-range missiles to strike positions inside Russia from which its enemies attack the country’s cities and strategic infrastructure. Biden refused to grant it for fear of the fury of Vladimir Putinwho used the nuclear threat to deter the American president.
Zelensky, in turn, wants an invitation to NATO. The new Secretary General of the Alliance, Marc Rutteshowed good disposition by choosing Kyiv as the first destination of his mandate. He went so far as to say that “Ukraine is closer to NATO than ever.” But the reality is different. Few club nations are willing to take the risk, fearing it could mark the start of a direct clash with the Russians.
Zelensky was thus yesterday in London, Paris and Rome to meet the leaders of the three European powers most committed to the defense of their country and to obtain from them something other than the coldness of Washington.
In the morning he received pledges of support from first British, Keir Starmerwith Rutte as witness. “This fight,” he heard, “is as important for you as it is for us. What Zelensky did not receive, however, was permission to use his Shadow Storm against Russian positions not inside Ukraine itself. In the afternoon, with the French president, Emmanuel Macronheard something similar, with no news of the Scalps missiles that would contribute to the “just end” he seeks. In the evening, it was the turn of the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloniwho took up the challenge: “The goal of our support is to put Ukraine in a position to build a table of peace, a peace that cannot mean surrender, as so many cowards suggest. This requires military support and support for the energy sector.”
Support for the energy sector is essential because, after weeks of subzero temperatures, half of energy production plants are inoperable. The situation is particularly difficult in the eastern regions, closer to Russia, which explains Zelensky’s insistence on his demands: “Defense systems help us save lives”.
The atmosphere is not the best as winter approaches. The Russians are advancing faster in the occupied territories of Donbass than a year ago. Many Ukrainians, as this newspaper has reported, are beginning to lose patience with the supply of fallout from Western powers and see as a relative grievance the United States’ commitment to Israel, which it protects from the same missiles and Iranian drones crushing the country. Ukrainian cities, often from Russian positions that Biden prevents Ukraine from hitting.
In this sense, the words of the outgoing NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenbergthey are striking. “This is a war of Russian aggression against Ukraine,” he said yesterday in an interview with the magazine Policy. “This is a blatant violation of international law and, under international law, Ukraine has the right to defend itself, and this right includes the possibility of attacking legitimate military targets on the territory of the aggressor, Russia.” So, he continued, “I am happy that some allies have no restrictions, as long as they remain within the limits of international law.”
The truth is that France and the United Kingdom, unlike Germany, were ready to take this step, but they only set one condition: The United States should have wanted this too, but they are not.. Zelensky’s plan is therefore moving forward, with its key points unlikely to succeed, and many Ukrainians fear that a change of administration in Washington could trigger pressure to negotiate a peace with Putin, which would mean a form of capitulation, which the majority agrees with. not willing to accept. Zelensky, for his part, will meet this Friday with Pope Francis, a supporter of this path.
