Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky's next diplomatic and psychological coup is his idea he called his victory plan for ending the war between his country and Russia. He already presented it to Ukraine's most important allies like the US, France, Germany, the UK, Italy, EU, NATO and others as well as to Ukraine's parliament. He seemed to strongly believe that his victory plan would surely succeed within only one year if it were implanted. The ultimate victory for him is always implying Russia's total defeat on the battlefield and gaining back all Ukrainian territories seized by Russia, including Crimea. The deciding player in his plan is the NATO and Ukraine's major allies. His plan is nothing but a catalogue of demands on them: invitation for Ukraine to join NATO; receiving more weapons from NATO countries with no restriction on their use, that means enhancing Ukraine's capabilities to more effective air defense and allowing Ukraine to militarily strike deeper into Russia's territories; creating enough deterrence potential against Russia, even through NATO's military presence in Ukraine; offering partners from the European Union and US to sign a special agreement on common use of Ukraine’s critical resources, like lithium, gas, titanium and others, and producing energy together in the future; and using Ukraine's army to bolster European security in the post-war times.
| Ukraine's President Volodymir Zelensky. Photo: AFP/VNA |
All that are like more a list of Zelensky's wishes than a real plan. All that are what he wants NATO to do for Ukraine and not what Ukraine would have to do. That is exactly the root of the one reason why his plan is not feasible. NATO had already declared that Ukraine could join NATO in the future but not now. NATO is backing Ukraine fighting against Russia but is wanting not to become at war with Russia. NATO is letting Ukraine be fighting against Russia for NATO and not wanting to fight against Russia for Ukraine. The other reason is that even NATO and Ukraine's allies would love very much but coundn't be sure that Russia would and will be defeated in Ukraine. And Moscow would never meet any pre-conditions put forward by Ukraine or NATO. Zelensky didn't consider the Russia factor in his plan. Because of its non-present feasibility, Zelensky victory plan would lead him to nowhere.
Furthermore, this plan is something like a trap for NATO. Zelensky intended to tie Ukraine's fate to NATO's military aid and militarily direct engagements into Ukraine's war with Russia, thus floating or sinking together with Ukraine. The price would be too high for NATO to pay. That is why Zelensky victory plan will only be heard but not supported by NATO. A wishful plan without enough feasibility is only a plan full of wishes.
Disclaimer: The views expressed by Ambassador Tran Duc Mau are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Hanoi Times.
