Ukraine applies for fast-track NATO membership

EUROPEAN PRAVDA, UKRAINSKA PRAVDA – FRIDAY, 30 SEPTEMBER 2022, 17:01

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that Ukraine has applied for NATO membership under an accelerated procedure.

Source: President Zelenskyy, on social media

Quote: "De facto, we have already worked our way to NATO. De facto, we have already proven our compatibility with the standards of the Alliance. They are real for Ukraine; real on the battlefield and in all aspects of our interaction. We trust each other, we help each other and we protect each other. This is what the Alliance is. De facto.

Today Ukraine is submitting an application to do this de jure. Following a procedure which will correspond to our significance and will help us protect our community. At an accelerated rate.

We are taking a decisive step by signing Ukraine's application for accelerated NATO membership."

Details: Zelenskyy remarked that fast-track NATO membership is possible, because Finland and Sweden applied to join the alliance earlier this year without any action plan regarding membership. 

The President added that for Ukraine, this treaty will be de jure confirmation of what has already been achieved de facto. 

Zelensky also said that Ukraine’s government proposes implementing the Kyiv Security Compact until all NATO members reach a consensus on Ukraine joining the alliance. 

Ukraine’s NATO membership application was signed by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament Ruslan Stefanchuk, and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

This move followed Russian president Vladimir Putin’s declaration of the annexation of territories in southern and eastern Ukraine - Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts - and his signing of "annexation agreements" with Russian-installed puppet leaders on camera.   

Zelensky called this a farce, an attempt by Russia "to steal something that never belonged to it, to rewrite history and redraw borders". 

Prior to his video address, Zelensky held a meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief and chaired a meeting of the National Security and Defence Council.

Previously: On 30 September, Russian president Vladimir Putin signed accession agreements which are supposed to "legitimise" the annexation of Ukrainian territories, namely Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts. He claimed that from now on, residents of these regions are Russian citizens. 

Background: Ukraine’s aspiration to become a member of NATO is enshrined in the Constitution. Apart from that, the overwhelming majority of Ukrainian citizens support this initiative. 

However, Ukraine’s progress towards NATO membership has been slowed down due to the occupation of some of its territory by Russia, though experts assume there are alternative routes for the country’s integration with the Alliance. 

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