Zelenskiy Says ‘Victory Plan’ Could Push Russia to End War Diplomatically

 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy attends a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany, September 6, 2024. (Reuters)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy attends a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany, September 6, 2024. (Reuters)
TT

Zelenskiy Says ‘Victory Plan’ Could Push Russia to End War Diplomatically

 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy attends a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany, September 6, 2024. (Reuters)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy attends a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany, September 6, 2024. (Reuters)

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday a "victory plan" he wants to present to US President Joe Biden this month would strengthen Kyiv and have a "psychological" impact that could push Russia to end its war diplomatically.

Speaking at Kyiv's annual Crimean Platform event, Zelenskiy said it was important that Ukraine presented the plan to its allies before a second international summit on peace that he wants to hold later this year.

"If partners support it (the plan), it will make it easier for Ukraine to force Russia to end the war," he said.

"What is this plan for? It is a serious strengthening of Ukraine and, in my opinion, it will have both psychological and political... influence on Russia's decision to end this war."

Zelenskiy first spoke of the plan last month, saying he wanted to discuss it with Biden and his two potential successors after the US presidential election in November.

Zelenskiy is expected to travel to the United Nations General Assembly later this month.

It comes at a critical juncture in the war, with Russian troops continuing to inch forward in eastern Ukraine despite Kyiv's forces launching a surprise incursion last month into Russia's Kursk region.

Ukraine has been pushing for a follow-up summit to advance its vision of peace. The first summit, held in Switzerland in June, pointedly excluded Russia, while attracting scores of delegations.

Kyiv has said it supports Russia attending the follow-up one as many countries in the Global South would like to see both sides in the war attend. Moscow has said it won't negotiate with Kyiv as long as Ukrainian forces are on its territory.



Trump Says He Might Demand Panama Hand over Canal

This handout picture released by the Panama Canal Authority on August 30, 2024, shows the container ship MSC Marie, of 366 meters long and 51 meters wide, transiting the Panama Canal in Panama. (Handout / Panama Canal Authority / AFP)
This handout picture released by the Panama Canal Authority on August 30, 2024, shows the container ship MSC Marie, of 366 meters long and 51 meters wide, transiting the Panama Canal in Panama. (Handout / Panama Canal Authority / AFP)
TT

Trump Says He Might Demand Panama Hand over Canal

This handout picture released by the Panama Canal Authority on August 30, 2024, shows the container ship MSC Marie, of 366 meters long and 51 meters wide, transiting the Panama Canal in Panama. (Handout / Panama Canal Authority / AFP)
This handout picture released by the Panama Canal Authority on August 30, 2024, shows the container ship MSC Marie, of 366 meters long and 51 meters wide, transiting the Panama Canal in Panama. (Handout / Panama Canal Authority / AFP)

President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday accused Panama of charging excessive rates for use of the Panama Canal and said that if Panama did not manage the canal in an acceptable fashion, he would demand the US ally hand it over.

In an evening post on Truth Social, Trump also warned he would not let the canal fall into the "wrong hands," and he seemed to warn of potential Chinese influence on the passage, writing the canal should not be managed by China.

The post was an exceedingly rare example of a US leader saying he could push a sovereign country to hand over territory. It also underlines an expected shift in US diplomacy under Trump, who has not historically shied away from threatening allies and using bellicose rhetoric when dealing with counterparts.

The United States largely built the canal and administrated territory surrounding the passage for decades. But the US government fully handed control of the canal to Panama in 1999 after a period of joint administration.

"The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, especially knowing the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama by the US," Trump wrote in his Truth Social post.

"It was not given for the benefit of others, but merely as a token of cooperation with us and Panama. If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and without question."

The Panamanian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.