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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who continues to refuse to negotiate for a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine War, announced Friday that Kyiv will file a new, expedited application to join NATO in light of Russian President Vladimir Putin annexing four occupied regions in the country.
Zelensky said in a statement that Finland and Sweden benefited from an accelerated accession into the Alliance.
“De facto, we have already proven interoperability with the Alliance’s standards, they are real for Ukraine — real on the battlefield and in all aspects of our interaction,” Zelensky said.
“Today, Ukraine is applying to make it de jure. Under a procedure consistent with our significance for the protection of our entire community. Under an accelerated procedure,” the statement continued.
One of the key benefits of NATO membership is the protection under Article 5, which states that any member state that
Article 5 provides that if a NATO Ally is the victim of an armed attack, every other member of the Alliance would consider it as an attack on all members and will take the actions it deems necessary to assist the Ally attacked.
President Joe Biden said in a statement. “Russia is violating international law, trampling on the United Nations Charter, and showing its contempt for peaceful nations everywhere.”
Putin announced the annexation of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
“This is the will of millions of people,” Putin said.
He took a shot at the “enemy” West, and said the elites in the countries “deny national sovereignty and international law,” according to The New York Times.
“Their hegemony has a pronounced character of totalitarianism, despotism and apartheid,” he said.
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