Zelensky says Kursk offensive is collateral in a victory plan

At a press conference in Kyiv today, Volodymyr Zelensky spoke about his strategy to end Russia’s war. He has a plan which he says he will present next month to Joe Biden and to the two contenders to succeed him: Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. He also confirmed The Spectator’s report that the objective of the Kursk operation is ‘one of the key points’ as collateral in a negotiation which, he says, will ‘force Russia to end the war through diplomacy’.

We’re now in week four of the battle in the Kursk region, with Ukrainian forces taking control of about 100 Russian settlements. The offensive has slowed but presses on. ‘We need to have a strong position at the summit [in November],’ said Zelensky today. Some 92 countries were represented at the first peace summit in Switzerland in June, but there was little progress as Russia was not invited by Kyiv.