I’m Sure It’s Possible: Ukraine President Zelensky Demands ‘Immediate’ EU Membership

Ukraine demanded an immediate Russian ceasefire and troop withdrawal on Monday as its delegation arrived in Belarus for talks with Russian negotiators on the fifth day of the invasion.

New Delhi/Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday urged the European Union to grant immediate membership to his country, as Russia’s assault against the pro-Western country entered its fifth day, reported AFP. “We appeal to the European Union for the immediate accession of Ukraine via a new special procedure,” the 44-year-old leader said in a new video address. “Our goal is to be together with all Europeans and, most importantly, to be on an equal footing. I’m sure it’s fair. I’m sure it’s possible,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s delegation is set to meet Russian representatives for the first talks since Moscow’s invasion, as the fighting for several Ukrainian cities continues and the Russian ruble collapses. The meeting will take place just across the border in neighbouring Belarus, a key Kremlin ally that has allowed Russian troops passage to attack Ukraine.

“The Ukrainian delegation arrived at the Ukrainian-Belarusian border to take part in talks with representatives of the Russian Federation,” the Ukrainian presidency said in a statement. It further said that they would demand an immediate cease-fire. It wasn’t immediately clear what the Kremlin was ultimately seeking, either in the talks or, more broadly, from its war in Ukraine.