Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy requested on Monday that the European Union provide his nation “immediate” membership, as Russia continues its invasion of the pro-Western country, The New York Times reported.
“We appeal to the European Union for the immediate accession of Ukraine via a new special procedure,” Zelenskyy said in a new video address. “Our goal is to be together with all Europeans and, most importantly, to be on an equal footing. I’m sure it’s fair. I’m sure it’s possible.”
Zelenskyy praised “Ukrainian heroes” and said that so far 15 children have died during the Russian attack and another 45 have been wounded.
Dozens of others have been killed as Russia has launched missile attacks and engages in fighting in the streets near Ukraine's major cities in recent days since the invasion, according to The Hill.
Zelenskyy's plea for Ukraine to become a member of the EU comes as negotiators from Kyiv and Moscow have agreed to meet for talks in an attempt to de-escalate the crisis.
The Ukrainian leader, however, has said he has very low expectations for results from the dialogue, according to The Print.
His request also follows European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s comments over the weekend that the EU wants Ukraine to join, since “they are one of us and we want them in,” Politico reported.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal added his push for the move in a tweet on Monday, declaring that it was time to put the demand “down on paper” and that Ukraine has “long proved that we are all an integral part of the European community.”
However, the decision to add new nations to the EU is not dependent on the views of the commissioner; it's with the countries who are already members, and they don’t necessarily have the same opinions on the matter, Politico reported.
Ukraine has been part of an Association Agreement with the EU since 2017, in which the two sides agreed to align their economies in certain areas and deepen political ties. Ukraine is also part of the EU’s Eastern Partnership and European Neighborhood Policy.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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