Posted on 09/30/2022 8:43:36 AM PDT by Red Badger
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Friday that his nation has formally submitted an expedited application to become a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
NATO is an intergovernmental military alliance launched after World War II as a counter against Soviet aggression in Europe. The announcement occurs as the Russian invasion of Ukraine enters its seventh month.
“Ukraine was and remains a leader in negotiation efforts. It was our state that always offered Russia to reach an agreement on coexistence on equal, honest, decent and fair terms,” Zelensky said in a video message. “It is obvious that this is impossible with this Russian president. He does not know what dignity and honesty are. Therefore, we are ready for a dialogue with Russia, but already with another president of Russia.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin officially revealed on Friday that he would annex the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine after residents voted to join his nation. The referendum, which local Ukrainian officials said was coerced by Russian soldiers, took place earlier this week, with results in each region appearing to be strikingly lopsided in favor of Russia.
“The Kremlin’s sham referenda are a futile effort to mask what amounts to a further attempt at a land grab in Ukraine,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a Thursday statement. “To be clear: the results were orchestrated in Moscow and do not reflect the will of the people of Ukraine.”
Member states of NATO sent thousands of troops to neighboring eastern European countries in February after Putin ordered the invasion. The United States has sent more than $9.8 billion in civilian and military assistance to Ukraine over the past several months. USAID Administrator Samantha Power remarked earlier this year that as the “assault on Ukraine’s public services continues, the United States is rushing in with financial support to help the government keep the lights on, provide essential services to innocent citizens and pay the health care workers who are providing lifesaving support on the frontlines.”
On Thursday evening, the Senate approved more than $12 billion in additional aid for Ukraine. Lawmakers in the House of Representatives must advance the bill to President Joe Biden by Friday night, which marks the end of the current fiscal year.
Ukraine’s application to join NATO also comes days after the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline system saw “unprecedented” damage. As fuel poured into the Baltic Sea, some European leaders began pointing fingers at Russia, which had severed flow through the pipelines one month earlier, as well as the United States. Germany, the continent’s largest economy, relied upon Russian natural gas for 55% of its imports before the beginning of the conflict.
“The destruction that occurred on the same day simultaneously on three strings of the offshore gas pipelines of the Nord Stream system is unprecedented,” Nord Stream AG, the Russian company that operates the pipelines, said in a statement. “It is not yet possible to estimate the timing of the restoration of the gas transport infrastructure.”
After Russia invaded Ukraine, other European countries — including Sweden and Finland — pursued membership in NATO. The parliament of Slovakia approved the entry of the two Nordic nations into the alliance, becoming one of the last governments to ratify the expansion. Hungary and Turkey have not yet greenlit the move.
I see he wants WWIII.
Russia had to expect this after announcing the annexation. Did they really think the West would do nothing?
That will calm things down.
/s
Here’s my gut feeling... After all we’ve been thru including the billions sent, we don’t let them join NATO.
But now the stakes have been raised, not allowing them into NATO makes the West look weak.
Not saying I support Ukraine in NATO, but Russia is somewhat forcing their hand here.
That’s a good show.
Wait until the current war ends and then do it. It does not look like that will be take long.
True... But I really don’t think this administration is concerned about looking weak. Take Afghanistan for example. The bigger picture is I’m sure slapping them upside the head as we speak and that is allowing then to join NATO is definitely evidence of them actually mobilizing other nations onto the ground there which will be more of a tinder box than we already have there. Up to know it’s just been some supplies, money and a lot of saber rattling... Allowing them into NATO is 100% commitment and again this admin is toobstupd to handle that and deep down I think they know it. Js...
Continuing according to the script.
I’ve never seen it.........................
Zelenskyy is asking for fast-tracked NATO membership because he is panicking, not because NATO will actually admit Ukraine. He will do anything possible to drag the rest of the world into the war.
Well pretty much a majority did want out of Afghanistan.
But the majority do want to support Ukraine in some way.
Too stupid*
We shall see soon enough I reckon.
Make the current Russian-occupied areas autonomous regions. Russians get out, and the regions are self-governed and there is Russia’s buffer zone.
He does what his masters say
Keep $$$$ flowing
So stupid
Nyet...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.