Victory Plan for Ukraine

In October 2024, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy unveiled the Victory plan for Ukraine,^[4] which includes the solution to the Russo-Ukrainian conflict and description of future national defense guarantees.^[5] The official goal of the plan is "to change the circumstances in such a way that Russia will be forced to peace".^[6]

Victory Plan

Ukrainian: «План перемоги» (Plan peremohy)
Ukraine   Russian Federation   NATO member states as of 2025   Territories controlled by Russia or pro-Russian separatists but claimed by Ukraine (Crimea, Donbas) with the support of the UNGA[a]
Type	Peace enforcement
Context	Russo-Ukrainian war
Drafted	October 16, 2024 (2024-10-16)
Condition	NATO membership invitation to Ukraine Just end to the Russo-Ukrainian war (Point 1)
Amendment	3 secret annexes (Points 2—4, partly)
Expiration	Not meant for signing[1]
Languages	Ukrainian English
Five-point plan[2] 1. Geopolitical 2. Defense 3. Deterrence 4. Economical 5. Postwar safety Unveiled at the Verkhovna Rada by Volodymyr Zelensky on 16 October 2024[3]

Points

The plan includes five points: one geopolitical, two military, one economical and one related to national defense and safety.^[7] The second, third and fourth points of the plan have classified conditions included, that were introduced only to the political leaders of the US, Germany, France, United Kingdom and Italy.^[8][9]

1. Inclusion of Ukraine into NATO and the end of the Russo-Ukrainian war. This implies geopolitical determination in Europe. This will be "a testament to the determination of Ukrainian partners" (mainly key Euro-Atlantic countries) and "will show how the partners see Ukraine in the renewed continental security architecture in the future".^[10][11][12]
2. Strengthening of the national defense. Implies the strengthening of Ukrainian positions on the territory of Russia in order to avoid the creation of buffer zones on the Ukrainian territory, lifting restrictions on strikes inside the Russian territory, strengthening Ukraine's air defense to a sufficient level of protection and joint defense operations with neighboring states within the reach of their air shield; access to satellite intelligence data of Ukrainian partners in real time, irreversible strengthening of the positions of the Defense and Security Forces of Ukraine and the destruction of Russia's offensive potential on the occupied territory of Ukraine.^[10][11][12]
3. Deterrence. Implies the placement of a comprehensive non-nuclear strategic package of deterring Russia's armed aggression and its military capabilities inside the Ukrainian territory.^[10][11][12]
4. Strategic economic potential. Envisages the investment of international partners in the production of critically important natural resources, such as uranium, titanium, lithium and graphite.^[13]
5. National safety. This point is designed for the post-war period. Zelenskyy assumed that in case of an agreement, Ukrainian units will be able to replace separate US military contingents stationed in Europe.^[14]

Reaction

•  France: French ministry of foreign affairs stated that it supports the plan.^[15]
•  Germany: Chancellor Olaf Scholz has gone on record to say that Germany does not support the idea of inviting Ukraine to NATO during wartime.^[16]

Comparative assessment

In August 2025, Nik Hynek and Michal Šenk suggested the template for analysis of peace plans in interstate war with assessments of respective suggestions during ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war.

C[onc]urrent peace plans across ten comparative criteria^[b]

Source: Originally published by Peacebuilding in November 2025. ISSN: 2164-7259 (Print) 2164-7267 (Online) ^{[18]: 11–12}

Criterion	Ukraine "Victory" Agenda	Russia Maximalist Design	US Mediated Partition[c]	Europe–Ukraine Counter‑Initiative[17]	China–Brazil "Friends of Peace" Plan	Istanbul Draft (2022 revival)
Enforcement mechanisms	Strong emphasis on Western guarantees	Minimal; relies on Russian dominance	International monitors envisaged	EU/NATO backing; sanctions leverage	Vague; multipolar rhetoric	Weak; limited monitoring
Recovery & reconstruction	Western aid central	Russia assumes control of occupied areas	Partition with aid to both sides	EU‑led recovery funds	Development aid promised	Limited; undefined
Societal alignment (public opinion)	High domestic support for sovereignty	Russian domestic narrative only	Divisive; Ukrainians reject partition	Strong Ukrainian civil society backing	Low resonance in Ukraine	Mixed; contested
Security guarantees	NATO/EU integration	Neutrality enforced by Russia	U.S./UN guarantees proposed	NATO umbrella	Multipolar guarantees (China, Brazil)	Neutrality clauses; weak guarantees
Territorial concessions	Rejects concessions	Demands recognition of annexations	Partition envisaged	Rejects concessions	Freeze lines; ambiguous	Crimea/Donbas unresolved
Accountability / justice	War crimes prosecution central	Russia absolved of war‑criminal responsibility	Deferred accountability	Strong emphasis on justice	Downplayed	Deferred
External mediation	Western allies	Russia only	U.S. broker	EU role	China–Brazil mediation	Turkey broker
Neutrality / alliances	Rejects neutrality	Demands neutrality	Neutral buffer envisaged	NATO integration	Neutrality promoted	Neutrality clause
Economic aid / incentives	Western aid packages	Russian subsidies	Aid split between entities	EU recovery funds	Development aid promised	Limited
Durability / long‑term stability	High if backed by West	Low; coercive	Fragile; partition unstable	Stronger with EU/NATO support	Weak; lacks enforcement	Fragile; draft abandoned

See also

• Politics portal
• Ukraine portal

• Ukraine's Peace Formula – 2022 Ukrainian diplomatic initiative proposed worldwide to simply end the war with Russia
• June 2024 Ukraine peace summit – International summit in Switzerland
• 2022 Ramstein Air Base meeting – International conference organized by the United States
• Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022 – 2022 U.S. law authorizing arms transfers to Ukraine
• Budapest Memorandum – 1994 CSCE conference agreements
• Crimea Platform – Ukrainian diplomatic initiative aimed at recovering control over Crimea
• Multinational Force–Ukraine – Proposed force for peace enforcementPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets
• Peace negotiations in the Russo-Ukrainian war (2022–present): Overview of key negotiation points

Notes

1. as of February 2022
2. Combining comparative-historical and conflict-resolution analyses, authors developed and conceptualized a ten-criterion template for appraising peace proposals in major interstate wars, exemplified by Russo-Ukrainian war. It featured eight instructive settlements – the Treaty of Portsmouth ending the Russo-Japanese War (1905), the Moscow Peace Treaty concluding the Winter War (1940), the Korean Armistice Agreement (1953), the Austrian State Treaty (1955), the Camp David Accords (1978), the Geneva Accords on Afghanistan (1988), the Dayton Peace Agreement (1995) and the Khasavyurt Accord on Chechnya (1996) – each relevant through either Russia/USSR participation or design choices illuminating Russo-Ukrainian dilemmas.
3. On November 19, 2025, draft 28-point US plan was revealed.