Ukraine submits ‘accelerated’ application to join NATO
Ukraine's president says his country is submitting an "accelerated" application to join the NATO transatlantic military alliance.
"We are taking our decisive step by signing Ukraine's application for accelerated accession to NATO," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post issued in the wake of Russia's annexation announcement, reports Al Jazeera.
Ascension to NATO requires the unanimous approval of all 30 of the alliance's member states. Prior to launching its offensive in late February, Russia had insisted on guarantees from the West that Ukraine would never join NATO.