Russia Rebuts Zelensky's 'Victory Plan' with "Ukra Needs to Wake Up"

Russia responded to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's unveiling of the 'Victory Plan' on the 16th (local time) by stating, "Ukraine needs to come to its senses and realize the futility of their policies."

According to Russian state news agency TASS and others, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said at a briefing that day, "There may be another plan that could be a genuine peace plan," adding, "It is about the Ukrainian regime realizing the meaninglessness of the policies they pursue."

This was a rebuttal to President Zelensky's announcement of the 'Victory Plan' during his speech to the parliament that day.

Dmitry Peskov, Russian Kremlin Spokesperson
[Photo by Yonhap News]

According to local media, the Victory Plan consists of five components: Ukraine's invitation to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), shifting the battlefield onto Russian territory and lifting restrictions on the use of long-range weapons, a comprehensive non-nuclear strategic package to deter Russian aggression, economic cooperation including joint investment in Ukraine's natural resources, and a skilled military force.

President Zelensky stated, "If this plan is supported, the war could end by next year at the latest."

Spokesperson Peskov argued that Zelensky's plan "would be the same as the U.S. plan to use Ukraine to fight Russia until the last Ukrainian. There is no other plan," and insisted, "For peace to be achieved, Ukraine must come to its senses and understand the reasons behind the conflict."

Regarding reports that France and Germany have not fully delivered on their promised military support to Ukraine, Peskov commented, "It can be seen that several European countries are beginning to face difficulties in mobilizing their domestic defense industries to support Ukraine."

He pointed out that mobilizing enormous potential for supporting Ukraine runs counter to the economic development goals of European countries, stating, "I hope this message?that such expenditures are meaningless?will be conveyed more widely within European political circles."