Ukraine will present its victory plan to its allies in Germany next weekend, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says, setting up a test of support for Kyiv's vision on ending the war with Russia.
"We will present the victory plan, clear, specific steps for a just end to the war," Zelenskiy wrote on the Telegram messaging app.
Zelenskiy will meet US President Joe Biden and other leaders at a regular meeting of Kyiv's key NATO and other allies at the US Ramstein Air Base on Saturday.
In the coming days, our teams—government officials and diplomats—will engage in political consultations, while the military personnel will focus on filling the military aspects of the Victory Plan. This can quickly bolster Ukraine's positions, particularly at the front lines.… — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) pic.twitter.com/9c7f7NpdCkOctober 5, 2024
Ukraine, fending off an invasion from much larger neighbour for nearly 1000 days, suffered a major setback on the battlefield on Wednesday, when Russian forces took the eastern town of Vuhledar after two years of resistance.
Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address that his government, military and diplomatic officials will do "everything" they can in coming days to ensure that the Ramstein meeting can become "positive for our defence, for our vision of how the war should end".
He presented the plan to Biden and both the candidates running to succeed him, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, last week after months of Kyiv's teasing ideas on how to end the war.
The White House said Zelenskiy's plan contained "a number of productive steps".
But a US official described it a repackaged request for more weapons and a lifting of restrictions on the use of long-range missiles.
The plan presupposes the ultimate defeat of Russia in the war, the official said. Some officials see that aim as unrealistic.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces say they have shot down a Russian fighter plane while Russia claims to have made gains in Ukraine's east.
Officials say a Russian warplane was shot down near the city of Kostiantynivka. (AP PHOTO)
The Russian bomber was shot down near the city of Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk province, head of the Kostiantynivka Military Administration Serhiy Horbunov was quoted as saying by Ukraine's public broadcaster Suspilne.
Photos showed charred remains of an aircraft after it landed on a house that caught fire.
Also in the partially occupied Donetsk province, Russia's Defense Ministry said on Saturday that it had taken control of the village of Zhelanne Druhe.
If confirmed, the capture would come three days after Ukrainian forces said they were withdrawing from the front-line town of Vuhledar, 33km from Zhelanne Druhe, following a hard-fought two-year defence.