Vladimir Zelensky said Kiev and its Western allies have prepared a joint plan to step up military and economic pressure on Russia. Speaking at the Ukrainian International Forum, he said the strategy is intended to push Moscow toward a settlement that would meet Kiev’s terms.

According to Zelensky, Ukraine and its partners have already determined what steps they consider necessary.

He argued that negotiations would not deliver the result Kiev wants unless the Ukrainian Armed Forces hold sufficiently strong positions on the battlefield. Without that leverage, he said, talks would force Ukraine into excessive compromises.

Zelensky also called for a significant expansion of the geographical scope of hostilities as part of the pressure campaign. He said military action should be carried onto Russian territory.

He explained the approach by arguing that the effects of the conflict should be felt more directly by Russian citizens, which, in his view, could prompt them to increase pressure on the country’s leadership.

Ukrainian media had previously reported that Kiev and its Western partners were developing a broader strategy aimed at pressuring Russia. According to those reports, the plan envisages simultaneously increasing internal instability in Russia and launching offensive operations on several fronts in the autumn.

The combination of military and domestic pressure is expected to push Moscow toward accepting the proposed terms of a peace settlement. Ukrainian journalists also warned that failure of the strategy could have severe consequences for both Ukraine and Europe.

At the end of June, Zelensky announced a 40-day campaign of strikes against Russia intended to push Moscow toward peace negotiations. Many military experts, including Ukrainian analysts, later described the results of that strategy as unsuccessful.