Zelensky says Ukraine is applying for NATO membership “under an accelerated procedure”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned on Friday that his nation is making use of “underneath an accelerated process” to develop into a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Group.

He signed Ukraine’s utility along with Speaker of the Parliament Ruslan Stefanchuk and Prime Minister Denys Shmygal.

“It’s right here, in Ukraine, that the values of our Euro-Atlantic group have obtained actual very important vitality,” Zelensky mentioned in a pre-recorded video message. “The energy of the nation that fights for freedom, and the energy of the nations that assist on this struggle.”

He mentioned that “de facto,” Ukraine had already “accomplished our path” to NATO.

Zelensky mentioned that he understood that accession would require consensus of NATO members.

“And due to this fact, whereas that is occurring, we provide to implement our proposals relating to safety ensures for Ukraine and all of Europe in accordance with the Kyiv Safety Compact, which was developed and introduced to our companions.”

NATO Secretary Normal Jens Stoltenberg mentioned on Friday that member states of the alliance assist Ukraine’s “proper to decide on its personal path” after Zelensky made the announcement.

And Stoltenberg cautioned that any determination on membership needs to be taken by all 30 members of the alliance.

“NATO allies, once they met on the NATO Summit in Madrid, acknowledged additionally very clearly that we assist Ukraine’s proper to decide on its personal path, to resolve what sort of safety preparations it desires to be part of,” Stoltenberg instructed a information convention.

“Each democracy in Europe has the precise to use for NATO membership, and NATO allies respect that proper and we have now acknowledged repeatedly that NATO’s door stays open. And we have now demonstrated that over the past [few] years,” he mentioned.

 CNN’s Sharon Braithwaite and Arnaud Siad contributed reporting to this publish.