Ukraine announces fast-track NATO membership bid, rules out Putin talks • FRANCE 24 English

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday Ukraine was formally applying for fast-track membership of the NATO military alliance and that Kyiv was ready for talks with Moscow, but not with President Vladimir Putin. The Ukrainian leader made his comments in a video which appeared intended as a forceful rebuttal to the Kremlin after Putin held a ceremony in Moscow to proclaim four partially occupied Ukrainian regions as annexed Russian land.
#Ukraine #NATO #Russia

[MAXlMUS]

20 miles traffic jam of refugees at the Georgian border have declared a referendum to become a Georgia territory

[nobs]

Putin is the best recruiter for NATO, Finland, Sweden and yes Ukraine owe him a debt of gratitude

[dlcolossus]

"Illegal annexation" everyone keeps saying, as if there is legal annexation. Is that what the US did, legally annexed lands from native americans?

[GTAPlayer]

I remember when Zelensky ruled out NATO membership early in the war to try and appease Putin. It's a shame ol' Vlad had to take it this far...

[ssake_IAL_Research]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't that automatically obligate NATO to directly engage Russia in defense of Ukraine? And isn't that what we've been tryng to avoid, in order to avoid WWIII?

[electronwave]

In the meantime, Ukraine needs to sign defense agreements with the USA and friendly nations in Europe for all areas not occupied prior to 24 February invasion.

[georganatoly]

might as well, kind of get the sense the EU has gone passed the point of no return, that we've become as dependent on Ukraine winning in some sense as they are

[seanlindsay]

If russia was to use nukes nato would get involved anyway, so i dont see why europe would go against this application to nato.

[SamiKotiranta]

As a Finn, as my country is JOINING NATO, Ukraine should also be allowed to join the group...

[lavenderhammy]

Let them in now NATO! Could have stopped a world wide food shortage tsunami and aftershocks by letting them in sooner.

[LeifurHakonarson]

Regrettably NATO simply cannot approve membership bids by countries with unresolved territorial issues - it would mean immediate war with whatever country was making the claims (Russia in this case). Ukraine either has to accept the loss of the regions in question (which they will never do) or kick the aggressors out first - THEN join NATO.

[JC-rrwu]

I just love how they use that super cringey "buddies for life" handholding clip, and Putin just staring into the void with those dead eyes... 😂

[bh-regime]

I bet the Minsk accords looks pretty good right now, lol!

[HumanBeingsRThinkingBeings]

Mind Begs the Question:
If deploying Weapons, Troops
At USA doorstep (Cuba) - Not Allowed
At Russias doorstep (Ukraine) - Allowed
Democracy, Imperialism?

[KerrieRedgate]

Very well said. Although, it seems that many commentators have missed the glaring point Putin had just made at the Kremlin when he criticised the USA harshly for their 1945 nuclear attacks on the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This statement, alone, would disqualify Putin from using nuclear weapons in his war with Ukraine, by his own words — would he “lower himself” to American military standards? It sounds to me as though Putin is giving himself a “moral excuse” for *not* using nuclear weapons, because he obviously knows what the consequences of that action would be for Russia.

[DontFearTheWolf]

Might as well let Ukraine in NATO now since NATO is already giving them all the weapons and money they need. It can be a "SPECIAL NATO membership"...

[QuantumNaut]

Dangerous times indeed for the whole world

[soul]

I agree Zelensky. We need to go all in.

[CollectiveWesterner]

It is definitely time for NATO forces to engage directly and decisively in Ukraine.

[BludShotiiiiis]

Lord knows they've earned that NATO application.Cant think of a more deserving bunch of warriors.