BRUSSELS: NATO defence ministers are set to discuss Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s “victory plan” during a two-day meeting starting Thursday in Brussels, the alliance’s chief Mark Rutte said.
The plan, unveiled earlier this week, calls for increased Western support for Ukraine, including an invitation for NATO membership.
While talking to reporters on the eve of the talks, Rutte said that Zelensky’s proposal would be “on the table this week”. The five-part plan prioritizes an immediate offer of NATO membership, prompting a stern warning from the Kremlin that such a move could escalate tensions into a “direct conflict” between NATO and Russia.
While NATO countries have declared Ukraine to be on an “irreversible path” to membership, both the United States and Germany have expressed reservations about granting immediate entry, fearing that it would effectively place the alliance in direct confrontation with nuclear-armed Russia.
When pressed for details regarding Ukraine’s potential path to NATO membership, Rutte maintained the alliance’s stance, stating, “I cannot today sketch out what the path will be, but I am absolutely confident that in the future, Ukraine will join us.”
As Ukraine faces mounting pressure on the battlefield and intensified Russian strikes on its infrastructure, Rutte described Zelensky’s plan as a “strong signal.”
However, he also cautioned that full support for the plan would require further discussion on its various political and military components. “We need to hammer out with Ukrainians to understand what is behind it, to see what we can do, what we cannot do,” he added.
Meanwhile, NATO leaders reaffirmed their commitment to providing substantial military aid to Ukraine, with Rutte insisting that the flow of aid would continue as long as Russia persists in its aggression.
Zelensky is also expected to present his plan at an EU leaders’ summit in Brussels on the same day.
