Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that a ceasefire with Russia is not being discussed with European allies, calling for increased Western support as the tough winter approaches during his rapid tour of four capitals.
During his 48-hour visit to London, Paris, Rome, and Berlin, Mr. Zelensky aimed to secure military and financial assistance amid concerns over waning support should Donald Trump become the US president next month.
After talks with President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, Mr. Zelensky denied media claims suggesting he was negotiating the terms of a ceasefire with Russia.
“This is not the topic of our discussions,” he emphasized. “It’s not accurate. Russia engages heavily in media disinformation, so such reports are understandable,” he added.
Additionally, Mr. Zelensky mentioned that he and Mr. Macron had talked about Ukraine’s “victory plan” to overcome Russia, expressing appreciation to the French president for his continued support.
Ukrainian soldiers are currently training at a military camp in France.
“Before winter, we need your support,” he noted, acknowledging “a challenging situation in the east” and a “significant deficit” regarding certain equipment.
Without going into specifics, Mr. Macron mentioned that Mr. Zelensky had outlined Ukraine’s “plan for the coming weeks” and that they had discussed strategic objectives for the “upcoming weeks and months.”
Mr. Macron reiterated France’s support for “the Ukrainian resistance against the Russian invasion.”
This winter is anticipated to be Ukraine’s most challenging since the full-scale invasion commenced in February 2022, as Russia intensifies strikes on the power grid and advances along the eastern front.
These discussions followed Mr. Macron’s unusually public visit to a military camp in eastern France yesterday, where he met with part of a brigade of Ukrainian troops being trained by France.
Volodymyr Zelensky speaks with Keir Starmer (C) and Mark Rutte in Downing Street.
‘Just End to War’
Mr. Zelensky traveled to Paris from London, where he conferred with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and NATO chief Mark Rutte.
Following their meeting at Downing Street, Mr. Zelensky stated that he had “delineated the specifics of our victory plan,” which “aims to establish the right conditions for a just conclusion to the war.”
Mr. Starmer described their meeting as an opportunity to “discuss the plan in greater detail.”
Mr. Zelensky asserts that Ukraine urgently requires more aid to regain strength after Russia has captured numerous towns and villages in the east.
He is also advocating for permission to use long-range weaponry provided by allies, including the British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles, to strike military targets deep within Russia.
However, both the US and UK have hesitated to grant approval due to concerns it could lead NATO allies into a direct confrontation with Russia.
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Mr. Zelensky confirmed that he addressed this topic during the Downing Street meeting.
Mr. Rutte informed reporters, “Legally, that is possible because Ukraine is permitted to use its weapons to strike targets in Russia if those targets pose a threat to Ukraine.” However, he added, “Whether individual allies proceed is ultimately at the discretion of each ally.”
Both Mr. Rutte and Britain urged against focusing solely on long-range missiles, with Mr. Starmer’s spokesman stating, “No war has ever been won by a single weapon.” The discussions were primarily centered on “the range of support” available for Ukraine.
A planned gathering of Ukraine’s allies in Germany on Saturday was postponed after US President Joe Biden canceled his visit to concentrate on the threat posed by Hurricane Milton.
Funding
On the ground, concerns are escalating regarding the long-term strategy for an offensive into Russia’s Kursk region, considering Moscow’s advances in eastern Ukraine.
The Kremlin claimed its missiles hit two launchers of a US-made Patriot air-defense system, which Ukraine uses against Russian missiles.
“If this is a short-term operation, it will bolster us,” mentioned Bogdan, a serviceman relaxing at a cafe in Druzhkivka, near Kramatorsk, in an interview with AFP. “If it’s a long-term operation and we intend to remain in Kursk, it will deplete our primary resources.”
Ukraine heavily relies on billions of dollars in US aid to counter Russia’s invasion, making the upcoming US presidential election crucial.
The Kiel Institute based in Germany has warned that Western military and financial support for Kyiv could be halved to approximately €29 billion by 2025 if Mr. Trump secures the US presidency in the election on November 5.
Mr. Trump has pledged to end the war “in 24 hours” if elected—a scenario that Kyiv fears may necessitate significant compromises to achieve peace.
