Ukrainian Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday took a whistle-stop tour of three European capitals, promoting what he described as a "victory plan" for Ukraine. It "aims to create the right conditions for a just end to the war," Zelenskyy said.
Earlier in the week, as reports suggested vast Russian gains in eastern Ukraine, as well as a possible frontline collapse, Zelenskyy said in a trip to Croatia that the first step of the plan focuses on "whether the problem of geopolitical uncertainty in Europe will be resolved — whether Ukraine will get a seat in NATO." Russia has strongly opposed such an idea.
On Thursday, Zelenskyy nonetheless continued in his pursuit of convincing allies, first travelling to London to where he met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the newly appointed NATO Secretary General, former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.