Zelenskyy ‘victory plan’ includes push for NATO invitation, reconstruction aid 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for Ukraine to receive an unconditional invitation to join NATO and for the deployment of a non-nuclear deterrent to Russian aggression as he went before Ukraine’s parliament Wednesday to outline his “victory plan” in the fight against Russia’s invasion. 

“Together with our partners, we must change the circumstances so that the war ends. Regardless of what Putin wants,” Zelenskyy said.  “We must all change the circumstances so that Russia is forced to peace.” 

Other parts of the part plan include post-war reconstruction pledges from Ukrainian allies as well as help in defending Ukraine’s natural mineral resources. 

Zelenskyy has been discussing the plan in recent weeks in meetings with Western leaders. 

He said he will do so again Thursday as he attends a summit of European Union leaders in Brussels. 

Russia has opposed Ukraine joining NATO, a topic that NATO leaders have said is only a matter to be decided between Ukraine and the alliance itself. 

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed Zelenskyy’s proposal, calling it an “ephemeral peace plan.” 

“The only peace plan there can be is for the Kyiv regime to realize the futility of the policy it is pursuing and understand the need to sober up,” Peskov said. 

Ukraine’s military said Wednesday it shot down 51 of 136 drones that Russia used to target the country in overnight attacks.    

The intercepts took place over the Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Kirovohrad, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Poltava, Sumy, Ternopil and Zhytomyr regions, the Ukrainian air force said.    

Serhii Popko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, said air raid alerts lasted for two hours in the Ukrainian capital, but that air defenses destroyed all of the drones that targeted the area. There were no reports of damage or casualties, Popko said on Telegram.    

Russia also fired two missiles as part of its attack.    

Russia’s Defense Ministry reported Wednesday that its air defenses destroyed two Ukrainian aerial drones over the Belgorod region and another drone over Voronezh.    

Some information for this report was provided by Agence France-Presse and Reuters. 
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