Ukraine asks the European Union for immediate accession by a new special procedure.
The call was made by Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the morning appeal
"We are grateful to our partners for their support. However, our goal is to be together with all Europeans and, what is important, as equals. I am sure it is fair. I am sure it is possible." said the president.
President Zelenskyy said yesterday he had talked with the presidents of Portugal, Lithuania, France and Poland.
“I am especially grateful to Andrzej Duda. I have talked to the premiers of Belgium, Spain and Britain, Boris Johnson. The support from our anti-war coalition is unconditional and unprecedented. Europe has closed the skies for all Russian planes. Global business refuses to have any relationship with Russian companies. We will see how this week will end for the Russian currency – what the fall of the ruble would be. While the criminal invasion of Ukraine is continuing, the Russian state suffers such losses as if the war was happening on their territory. What is the point of this, Russian mothers, teachers, businessmen, and others? What?" he added.
During the full-scale war in Ukraine, the aggressor country has lost 4500 soldiers.
"Why did they come here? Why are the columns of armed vehicles coming from our Crimea against us? Yalta, Evpatoria, Sudak, Simferopol… These are not the names of tank camps. One more time: 4500 killed Russian invaders. Drop your equipment. Get out of here. Just save your lives," Zelenskyy encouraged.
The president also added that everyone who can join the battle with the invaders should do this.
“We have taken a decision which is not easy from the moral point of view, but which is useful from the point of view of our defenses. During martial law, Ukrainians, who have real combat experience, will be released from detention and compensate for their guilt and fight in the hottest areas of war. Moreover, sanctions are lifted from some people, veterans of ATO. The most important thing now is defense," stressed the president.
The European Union will provide Ukraine with lethal weapons worth 450m euros. Also, non-lethal cargo worth 50m euros will be delivered. The EU is providing lethal weapons to a third country for the first time in its history.