Ukraine: Kiev calls on NATO to accelerate its membership

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, here in London during a visit to Boris Johnson on October 8, 2020. AP - Aaron Chown

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2 min

Tensions between Russia and Ukraine continue to rise, as the Ukrainian government announced the death of two of its soldiers on Tuesday, April 6.

In this context, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has undertaken numerous consultations with his international partners and one of them will not fail to make an impression: he asked the Secretary General of NATO to validate the action plan for Ukraine's accession to the Atlantic Alliance.

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With our correspondent in Kiev,

Stéphane Siohan

After his first discussion last Friday

with US President Joe Biden

, Volodymyr Zelensky is continuing his consultations this week in order to alert the international community to Russian military maneuvers on Ukraine's borders.

He spoke this Monday with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, then this Tuesday with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as well as with Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO.

During his conversation with the latter, the Ukrainian president called on the Atlantic Alliance to validate the action plan for Ukraine's membership, because NATO, in Zelensky's words, is the only way towards the end of the

war in the Donbass.

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To read also: Russia-Ukraine: the tension mounts, Washington gets involved

However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that if NATO strengthens its presence in the region, then Russia should take special measures.

The more Russian military pressure increases, the more Kiev turns to its Western partners, who say they support Ukraine.

But there is no indication at this stage that the West is ready to provide protection to Kiev that would go beyond the usual convictions and sanctions.

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  • Ukraine

  • Russia

  • Nato

  • Volodymyr Zelensky