New Delhi: According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Kyiv formally requested a “accelerated accession” to NATO on Friday in retaliation to Moscow’s legal annexation of four areas of Ukraine.

“We trust each other, we help each other and we protect each other. This is what the Alliance is. De facto. Today, Ukraine is applying to make it de jure,” Zelenskyy said during a video address.

At least 30 members of  the alliance must vote in unison to induct a new member in NATO.

Russia warned Ukraine against this

Russia used this as a justification for initiating the invasion of Ukraine in February after it demanded legally enforceable pledges from Kiev that it would not join the security alliance led by the United States.

Zelenskyy made an announcement following Putin’s speech

Following a speech in which Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened to employ all of his resources to protect the four Ukrainian provinces following their annexation post referendums, Zelenskyy made his announcement. European nations denounced the referendums as an excuse for further “violate” Ukraine’s sovereignty.

Putin urges Kiev to hold negotiation talks

Putin urged Kyiv to halt its military operations during his speech and declared that Moscow was willing to engage in talks, despite the fact that Ukraine has long claimed that it won’t stop fighting until Russian forces have completely left the country.

Zelenskyy retorted in his own speech that while Ukraine was willing to negotiate, doing so with Putin would be “impossible” and would need to be done with a different Russian leader.