Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy presented his “victory plan” to the European Union on Thursday (October 17), pitching for a NATO membership invitation and a major increase in military support for Kyiv’s campaign against Russia’s invasion.

Addressing leaders of the European Union’s 27 member countries at a summit in Brussels, Zelenskiy also called for more military aid for Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s invasion.

Zelenskiy’s plan contains requests that Ukraine’s allies have so far declined to grant, such as a call for an invitation to join the U.S.-led NATO military alliance and permission to use Western weapons to strike deep inside Russia.

“If we start now and follow the Victory Plan, we can end this war no later than next year,” Zelensky said.

Zelenskiy presented the plan to Ukraine’s parliament on Wednesday (October 16) at a critical time, as Moscow’s forces advance in the east, a bleak winter of power cuts looms and a U.S. presidential election casts uncertainty over the future of Western support.

(Reuters)