BRUSSELS — As Volodymyr Zelenskyy walked into the NATO restaurant Thursday to dine with alliance boss Mark Rutte, there was one thing the Ukrainian president wouldn’t order: cold water.
He came armed with a plan, billing it as the ultimate solution to defeat Moscow after 32 months of full-scale battle. Not only does it ask for permission to use long-range Western weapons to strike Russian targets, but it also calls for an immediate invitation to join NATO at a later date.
Zelenskyy’s uphill battle to gain Europe’s support for his “victory plan” comes three weeks before a potential second term for former U.S. President Donald Trump, which could force the Ukrainian leader to negotiate with Moscow.
On substance, the EU had little to offer Kyiv. With Hungary objecting, the bloc failed to unblock frozen Russian assets as loans for Ukraine. Zelenskyy also met with Robert Fico, the prime minister of Slovakia, another increasingly pro-Russia country like Hungary.
His Brussels tour began in the European Council.
Despite a worsening situation on the front lines — Zelenskyy said North Korea was preparing to send some 10,000 troops to fight for Russia in Ukraine — EU leaders glossed over Ukraine’s requests and turned their attention to the Middle East in the early afternoon.
Hungary’s reaction was less of a surprise, as its prime minister, Viktor Orbán, is known to be a staunch believer in keeping a friendly relationship with Moscow. “What he outlined yesterday in the Ukrainian parliament was more than frightening,” Orbán said of Zelenskyy.
“The European Union went into this war with a badly organized, badly executed, badly calculated strategy, for which the president of the [European] Commission bears the main responsibility” Orbán said, referring to Ursula von der Leyen. “We are losing this war, so the strategy is not working.”
Zelenskyy did receive some support after his plea for NATO membership, however. Denmark’s premier, Mette Frederiksen, reiterated her support for Ukraine’s membership, saying: “It’s the most important life insurance you can give a country.”
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, meanwhile, signed a bilateral security defense cooperation agreement with Zelenskyy. The agreement paves the way for Greece’s participation in efforts to rebuild Ukraine, particularly the city of Odessa on the Black Sea. “Greece is ready to continue meeting Ukraine’s most urgent defense needs. It will also provide additional resources to accelerate F-16 training for our pilots and technicians,” Zelenskyy said.
Even the far-right leader in the European Parliament, Jordan Bardella of France, posted a snap of himself shaking hands with Zelenskyy, who had been invited to the legislature by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola.
There, Zelenskyy had lunch with her and six of the eight leaders of the Parliament’s various factions.
Then the Ukrainian leader moved to NATO headquarters, where the alliance’s 32 defense ministers were holding a meeting. U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey was a sympathetic voice who said the victory plan would ensure that Kyiv “can, from a position of greater strength, deal with Russia for the future … We are ready to help accelerate that progress that they’re making toward membership [in NATO.]”
Others weren’t willing to offer as much.
“The victory plan from President Zelenskyy is on the table, but we can’t give an answer right now, or in a few hours or days,” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told reporters. “I believe the important signal is that Ukraine will be in NATO.”
When? Pistorius would only say there are many questions and issues that need to be resolved.
Zelenskyy doubled down on his messaging. “If we [do] not lose unity in Ukraine, we will prevail. I am sure, 100 percent — but it depends on the unity of our partners,” Zelenskyy said.
“If our partners [do] not lose their unity, we will not lose [it].”
Rutte, the new chief of the 32-strong alliance who earlier in the day confusingly floated the possibility of another country joining NATO before Ukraine, appeared more forceful standing next to Zelenskyy in the pre-dinner press conference.
“We will massively make sure Ukraine has what it needs to fight the war,” Rutte said, at times spontaneously interrupting Zelenskyy’s answers in order to pledge full support. “Ukraine will be a member of NATO. No doubt about it.”
Zelenskyy offered a rare smile.
“You see? We have unity,” he said. “We need 32 more.”
Joshua Posaner, Csongor Körömi, Ketrin Jochecová and Nektaria Stamouli contributed to this report.
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