The Biden administration is concerned that Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky's plan to win the war against Russia lacks a comprehensive strategy and is basically a repackaged demand for more weapons and lifting restrictions on long-range missiles. range This was stated by American officials, quoted by The Wall Street Journal, quoted by News.bg.
Zelensky has been pitching his plan for months as a framework for defeating Russia and is expected to outline it to President Biden on Thursday during a White House meeting where the Biden administration will have a chance to hear it in its entirety for the first time.
However, senior US and European officials familiar with the plan's broad outlines say it offers no clear path to victory for Ukraine, especially as Russian forces continue to make slow but steady gains on the battlefield.
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"I'm not impressed, there's not much new,'' says one senior official.
Zelensky's planned visit to Washington coincides with growing accusations from some Republicans that Ukrainian politicians are meddling in US domestic politics. Zelensky has come under fire for his criticism of Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance, and House Republican Speaker Mike Johnson has even called for the removal of Ukraine's ambassador to the US.
While the US and Ukraine had hoped to be united on the way forward, they find themselves at a critical point in the war, without a common vision. Differences between Kiev and Washington are deepening amid tensions over the lifting of restrictions on the use of long-range missiles on Russian territory.
A key part of Zelenskiy's plan requires the US to allow Ukraine to use the weapons provided to it as it needs, Finnish President Alexander Stubb said. Without this authority, Ukraine's proposals would be "less relevant", as Kiev would find it difficult to respond to Russian attacks.
State Secretary Anthony Blinken expressed confidence at a UN Security Council meeting that Ukraine can win the war. However, Biden continues to refuse to lift restrictions on long-range missiles, fearing that strikes on Russian territory could trigger an escalation by Vladimir Putin.
However, European leaders such as Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski are pushing for the restrictions to be lifted and Ukraine to be given more freedom to use these weapons.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, for his part, sided with Biden, stressing that Germany would not support the shelling of Russian territory. According to Scholz, such actions would be incompatible with his beliefs.
During his speech at the UN, Zelensky warned of impending Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, but did not go into detail about the peace plan or military demands.
While Zelensky has publicly insisted on full support from the West, US and European officials remain skeptical about the effectiveness of his plan. They point out that its most clearly defined aspect is related to arms supplies, while political and economic reforms remain less specific.
The concerns about Zelensky's plan come at a critical time when the war in Ukraine appears to be turning in Russia's favor. The advance of Russian forces in eastern Ukraine complicates Kiev's strategic positions, while the West is still hesitant about providing more powerful weapons.
Biden, in his speech at the UN, called on the West to continue its support for Ukraine, stressing that the US will not give up until a "just and lasting peace" is achieved.