NATO to weigh Zelensky plan in US vote's shadow

President Volodymyr Zelensky will present his "victory plan" for Ukraine to NATO defense ministers gathering Thursday in Brussels, under the long shadow of next month's U.S. elections.

Underscoring his plea for ramped-up Western support, Zelensky will attend the Alliance talks after also presenting his much-touted proposal at an EU leaders' summit taking place across town from NATO.

NATO chief Mark Rutte will hold a joint press conference with Zelensky at 6:20 pm (1620 GMT), wrapping up the first of two days of talks between NATO's 32 member states.

While calling it a "strong signal," the secretary-general cautioned Wednesday he was not endorsing Zelensky's "whole plan"—which calls first and foremost for an immediate invitation to join the U.S.-led alliance, a plea widely seen as unrealistic.

NATO countries have declared Ukraine to be on an "irreversible path" to membership.

But the United States and Germany have led opposition to immediate entry, believing it would effectively put the alliance at war with nuclear-armed Russia.

Washington's ambassador to NATO, Julianne Smith, hammered home that stance Wednesday, saying: "We are not at the point right now where the alliance is talking about issuing an invitation in the short term."

The U.S. position is unlikely to shift whether Donald Trump or Kamala Harris wins the White House on November 5—though there are fears a second Trump term could upend the support Ukraine receives from NATO's biggest power.

Insiders agree the elephant in the room at the NATO talks will be the contest playing out across the Atlantic.

"We are in a kind of waiting mode," summed up one NATO diplomat.

'Very difficult period' 

Pressed on the membership...