Tag: fast-track

  • Central and Eastern European support for Ukraine

    Central and Eastern European support for Ukraine

    Russia’s announced
    annexation of 4 regions in the east of neighbouring Ukraine-Donetsk, Luhansk,
    Kherson and Zaporizhzhia-following sham referendums has been firmly criticised
    and condemned by Western countries.


    After Russia’s president
    Vladimir Putin organised a ceremony in Moscow, proclaiming the 4
    partly-occupied regions Russian territory, the president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy
    responded with an application for fast-track NATO membership.


    Alongside the presidents of
    other Central and Eastern European NATO member states, including the Czech
    Republic, North Macedonia, Poland, Montenegro, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia and
    Lithuania, the president of Romania Klaus Iohannis signed a joint
    declaration reiterating support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial
    integrity.


    We, Presidents of states
    in Central and Eastern Europe, countries whose leaders have visited Kyiv during
    the war and witnessed with their own eyes the effects of Russian aggression,
    cannot stay silent in the face of the blatant violation of international law by
    the Russian Federation, and therefore are issuing the following statement: We
    reiterate our support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
    We do not recognize and will never recognize Russian attempts to annex any
    Ukrainian territory,ˮ reads the joint statement.


    The signatories say they
    firmly support the decision made at the 2008 NATO Summit in Bucharest regarding
    Ukraine’s future accession to the organisation. They also call on Moscow to
    immediately pull out of all the occupied territories.


    We support Ukraine in
    its defence against Russia’s invasion, demand Russia to immediately withdraw
    from all the occupied territories and encourage all Allies to substantially
    increase their military aid to Ukraine. All those who commit crimes of
    aggression must be held accountable and brought to justice, the document also
    reads.


    Ukraine’s presidential
    adviser Mykhailo Podolyak thanked the countries that back Ukraine’s NATO
    accession. We are grateful for the leadership and responsibility. History is
    being made today,ˮ he posted on Twitter.


    In turn, the NATO
    secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said a decision on Kyiv’s accession
    application must be taken by all the 30 member countries, and reiterated the
    alliance’s open-door policy. Any nation, including, of course, Ukraine, has the
    right to choose its own path, including the security arrangements it wants to
    join, Jens Stoltenberg also pointed out. He added that at present the main
    priority for the Allies and their partners is to support Ukraine.


    The US and Canada have
    also backed Ukraine’s NATO accession, but without making any reference to the
    fast-track procedure requested by Kyiv. (A.M.P.)