Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned on Friday Kyiv is requesting fast-track NATO membership after Russia formally annexed 4 Moscow-held areas of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian chief’s feedback come quickly after Russian President Vladimir Putin held a ceremony in Moscow to proclaim 4 partially occupied Ukrainian areas as annexed Russian land.
The video confirmed Zelensky saying the choice after which signing a doc flanked by his prime minister and the speaker of parliament.
“We have now already confirmed our compatibility with Alliance requirements… We’re taking a decisive step by signing Ukraine’s software for accelerated accession to NATO,” Zelensky mentioned in a video posted by the Ukrainian presidency on social media.
Zelensky additionally warned that he wouldn’t negotiate with Russia so long as President Vladimir Putin is in energy. “Ukraine is not going to maintain any negotiations with Russia so long as Putin is the president of the Russian Federation. We’ll negotiate with the brand new president,” Zelensky mentioned.
Putin signed treaties to annex components of Ukraine in defiance of worldwide regulation, vowing to guard the newly integrated areas by “all accessible means” in one other escalation of his seven-month invasion of the nation.
Putin urged Ukraine to take a seat down for peace talks however instantly insisted he received’t focus on handing again occupied areas — retaining him on a collision course with the Ukrainian authorities and its Western backers which have rejected his land-grab.
In a Kremlin ceremony on the ornate St. George’s Corridor to herald the annexation of the occupied components of Ukraine, Putin accused the West of fueling the hostilities as a part of what he mentioned is a plan to show Russia right into a “colony” and a “crowds of slaves.” The hardening of his place, within the battle that has killed and wounded tens of 1000’s of individuals, additional cranked up tensions, already at ranges unseen for the reason that Chilly Battle.
The European Union instantly responded to Putin’s newest step with a joint assertion rejecting and condemning “the unlawful annexation” of the 4 areas: Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
(With inputs from businesses)