WSJ: The US is “not impressed” with Ukraineʼs victory plan

The administration of the US President Joe Biden is concerned about the lack of a comprehensive strategy for winning the war with Russia in the plan to win Ukraine, which focuses on weapons and lifting restrictions on long-range strikes against the Russian Federation.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) writes about this with reference to sources.

"Iʼm not impressed, thereʼs not much new," said one senior official.

Washington hoped to see something tangible in the plan that the Biden administration could support while remaining in power for just four more months.

The plan broadly covers Ukraineʼs needs at the front, political reforms within the country, and the economy. Its most elaborate part is the weapon-related queries, while the rest of the parts are less specific.

It is important to note that the American officials did not get acquainted with the complete plan of victory. The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky will later introduce him at a meeting with Joe Biden.

WSJ interlocutors said that Zelensky is making a maximalist proposal in the hope that Washington will give Kyiv everything it asks for.

What Europeans say

The President of Finland Alexander Stubb said that the key to Ukraineʼs victory plan is to get permission from the US to use weapons as Kyiv deems necessary. And without this, Ukraineʼs proposals will ultimately be "less relevant", because it will be difficult for it to repel Russian aggression.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen criticized the West for wasting time talking about "red lines" while Russia advances on the battlefield. She urged allies to allow Ukraine to use long-range weapons "without restrictions" and to join NATO.

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said he is pressuring his American and British colleagues, including US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, to allow Ukraine to strike deep into the Russian Federation. He rejects the idea that this will lead to escalation.

"You want to tell me that Putin does not use — does not throw — everything he has at Ukraine?" Sikorsky asked.

At the same time, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz adheres to the US position on restrictions on long-range strikes against the Russian Federation.

Ban on attacks of Ukraine deep into Russia with Western weapons

Ukraine has long been asking its allies to allow their weapons to be used for long-range strikes deep into Russia. For such purposes, Ukraineʼs arsenal includes, in particular, American ATACMS surface-to-surface long-range missiles and British Storm Shadow long-range missiles.

However, none of these countries gave Ukraine permission to use their weapons for attacks deep into the Russian Federation. The US fears a possible escalation against the background of this decision. They also believe that lifting restrictions on long-range strikes will have no strategic significance in the war, because Russia has moved its most important targets, including aircraft, away from the border and made them inaccessible for strikes. And Great Britain cannot allow such strikes to Ukraine due to resistance from the United States.

Ukraineʼs victory plan

Back in August, Zelensky said that he plans to present a Ukrainian victory plan to Biden and presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump in September. It is known that it contains four main points and one more that Ukraine needs after the end of the war.

The publication Boomberg, citing sources, wrote that the plan includes clauses on invitation to NATO and membership in the EU, and other economic and security agreements.

On September 26, Zelensky came to the United States for the UN General Assembly meeting. There he will meet with US President Joe Biden and present a victory plan. He will also meet with Vice President, Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.