Ukrainian President's Anger Over White House Leak
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed his anger after details of his 'victory plan', which he had proposed to Biden administration officials, were leaked to The New York Times. This comes despite the recent injection of billions of US taxpayer dollars into Ukraine.
Details of the Leaked Plan
The New York Times published details of the plan on Tuesday, revealing that Zelensky had proposed a “nonnuclear deterrence package” in which Ukraine would receive Tomahawk missiles. This proposal was deemed entirely unfeasible by a senior U.S. official. The Tomahawk missile has a range of 1,500 miles, which is over seven times the range of the long-range ATACMS missile systems that Ukraine received this year. However, only a limited number of these were sent by the United States, according to senior U.S. officials.
NYT Report's Negative Tone
The New York Times report was largely critical of Zelensky, describing his recent efforts to lobby Washington and the West in support of his victory plan as unsuccessful. It also suggested that the plan was likely designed to fail from the outset.
The report went on to imply that the entire situation was a political charade, with Zelensky setting up the 'victory plan' to fail in order to place the blame on the West for its inevitable rejection due to a 'lack of support'.
Zelensky's Response to the Leak
Following the leak of the plan to The New York Times by Biden administration officials, Zelensky has publicly expressed his displeasure with the White House.
In a recent media interview, Zelensky questioned the confidentiality of the relationship between Ukraine and the White House, asking, "So, it means between partners there’s nothing confidential?”
Politico's Commentary
According to Politico, Zelensky confirmed that he had requested Tomahawk long-range missiles from the United States to help defeat Russia, and criticized the White House for leaking this information to the American media.
Despite the White House's dismissal of the plan as unfeasible, one Ukrainian official insisted that the plan was realistic, stating that the U.S. military had studied it and deemed it so. This suggests that the White House may be undermining Zelensky, even as he attempts to do the same to them.
Current Situation in Ukraine
It is clear that Ukrainian forces are currently experiencing a significant defeat on the battlefield in the east, and the blame game has begun.
Further Commentary
Journalist Aaron Maté of Gray Zone provided further commentary on the situation, stating that Zelensky was understandably upset about the disclosure of his plan. He suggested that the U.S. had encouraged war rather than negotiating with Russia, and had subsequently left Ukraine to fend for itself.
Bottom Line
The situation in Ukraine is complex and fraught with tension. The leak of President Zelensky's 'victory plan' to The New York Times has only added fuel to the fire, leading to a public spat between Zelensky and the White House. It remains to be seen how this situation will unfold and what impact it will have on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. What are your thoughts on this matter? Share this article with your friends and let them know what you think. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is delivered every day at 6pm.
