User blog comment:Longdead97/Ulfric's war effort & gaining support. Smart move or no?/@comment-6044976-20130325074008/@comment-7055753-20130327011731

He wouldn't necisarily need to control the Reach at the time, just promise the land to them once Skyrim was freed from the Empire. And while I'm sure they would attack on sight, Ulfric could avoid that by going to Markarth and convincing Thonar Silver-Blood to have guards in Cidhna Mine while he spoke to Madanoch.