Revealed: Zelensky to unveil 10-point resilience plan for Ukraine

Morale in the country has dipped after the US election but even if western support fades, the Ukrainian president promises a new plan.

A cyclist rides past the destroyed Drujba hotel in Pokrovsk, Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelensky said the area around Pokrovsk was "the most challenging right now" and added that "the military command and brigade command is working on strengthening positions”. Picture: Getty Images

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky will unveil a 10-point “resilience plan” to his country this week in an effort to boost morale damaged by Donald Trump’s election victory, a Kyiv adviser has revealed.

Mr Zelensky wants to bolster the desperate mood in the capital ushered in by Mr Trump’s re-election and also reassure people he can keep their country running given the prospect of the withdrawal of US aid. The plan will focus on investment in industry, maintaining energy supplies and bolstering defences. There will also be an appeal to Ukrainians overseas to return.

Last month Mr Zelensky presented his “victory plan” – a 10-point strategy for his Western partners about what he needs to end the war – to mixed reactions.

Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Mr Zelensky’s presidential office head Andriy Yermak, said of the intervention: “This is not a victory plan presented to an external partner, but a plan presented to our society – this is about the mobilisation of our economy and public sentiment.”

There is a general sense of concern in Kyiv that Western support, without a strong America leading the charge, may ebb away. On Friday, Mr Zelensky accused Germany of appeasement after Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Russian President Vladimir Putin shared their first telephone call since December 2022.

Sir Keir Starmer is expected to lobby US President Joe Biden at the G20 summit in Brazil this week for Ukraine’s right to use Western-donated missiles against targets in Russia. Defence Secretary John Healey will announce millions of pounds of funding for military drones and new maritime capabilities for Ukraine.

The resilience plan will cover how Ukraine will prioritise investment in industry and how the energy sector will function as a freezing winter looms.

“Taking into account the psycho-emotional state the country is in, we need to show clearly how we will prioritise investment in industry, how the energy sector will function, how we will communicate army mobilisation, strengthen physical defence – all the most painful issues relating to the country’s sustainability are being worked out,” Mr Podolyak said.

The government also wants to increase arms production and the installation of dynamic missile defences and safe shelters for every village. Another aspect of the plan will involve cultural heritage: Kyiv is trying to appeal to Ukraine’s large refugee diaspora in the hope that many will return.

As with the previous victory blueprint, what is likely to be made public will be no more than a concise set of 10 points – but with much more detail. That victory plan focused on appealing to the West for secure trade routes, help with prisoner exchanges, to impose penalties on the Kremlin for its aggression, and to put pressure on Russia to stop its attacks on energy facilities.

The government is also in consultations to update it so it appeals to Mr Trump’s business instincts by articulating the benefits of an “investment” in defending Ukraine. One expert paper emphasises Ukraine’s natural resources, which Mr Zelensky is offering to open up to US firms.

Allowing Russia to take territory from Ukraine would encourage the Kremlin and its allies to seize natural resources in other countries, leading to conflicts elsewhere, Mr Podolyak said.

Even if Mr Zelensky can persuade Mr Trump to stare down Putin, Ukraine still has problems to navigate. Many of Ukraine’s battlefield successes have relied on freely sharing intelligence with the US, but Mr Trump’s pick for national intelligence director, Tulsi Gabbard, has been accused of being a Putin apologist. Kyiv previously included her on a list of “enemies of Ukraine”.

Britain is facing questions over its commitment to Kyiv. Ukrainian officials told The Guardian Labour had not supplied any Storm Shadow missiles, even for use against targets in Crimea and other occupied territories in Ukraine. Defence sources suggested reluctance to do so was likely due to the fact stockpiles had reached a level below which the military does not want to go.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: “The UK’s support for Ukraine is iron-clad and the Prime Minister has been consistently clear that his government will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.”

Additional reporting: CAROLINE WHEELER

The Times