Ukraine's leader is pitching his 'victory plan' on adverse terrain. He must win over all US parties

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has come to the US with a mission: to sell his vision for a Ukrainian victory despite the growing odds against Kyiv in its war with Russia. The Ukrainian president spoke out forcefully this week in the Security Council and then at the general assembly of the United Nations, calling on other countries to back Ukraine's proposal for a "just peace" and refrain from holding alternative talks with Vladimir Putin.

- Andrew Roth

But the real work will come today, when Zelenskyy meets Joe Biden at the White House in order to present his "victory plan", a closely held Ukrainian roadmap for an end to the war without a full capitulation to Moscow. It is clear that Zelenskyy is facing an uphill battle, both in terms of ensuring military aid from the US in the run-up to a November presidential election, as well as fending off a Russian assault on key Ukrainian positions and the country's energy grid before the winter.

During his trip to the US, Zelenskyy must navigate an increasingly complex political landscape, where the Biden administration has proved to be a cautious ally in agreeing to Ukrainian requests for greater military aid and lifting restrictions on long-range missile strikes into Russia. Yesterday, NBC reported that the White House had overruled Pentagon officials who had proposed providing Ukraine with white phosphorus munitions for use on the battlefield.