Ukraine’s government has responded to Russia’s formal annexation of the four eastern and southern regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia on Friday by saying it has applied to become a member of the NATO military alliance.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced his country is submitting an “accelerated” application to formally join NATO. This could mark a huge escalation and turning point in the war, largely dependent on NATO leadership’s response, given the question of NATO expansion right up to Russia’s border remains a central motive in the Kremlin launching and continuing the invasion.