President Volodymyr Zelensky Signs Application For Ukraine To Join EU

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has urged the European Union (EU) to grant Ukraine immediate accession to the bloc.

Volodymyr Zelensky signed an application for his country to join the European Union.

Speaking during a televised address, Zelensky said Europeans were aware that Ukrainian soldiers were fighting for their country and, consequently, for the whole of Europe.

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He added: “We appeal to the European Union for the immediate accession of Ukraine via a new special procedure. We are grateful to our partners for being with us. But our goal is to be with all the Europeans and most importantly to be equal.”

The full-scale fight pitting the Eastern European nation against Russia started on Thursday, February 24, after months of tension with hundreds of people reportedly killed so far.

Following the invasion, the BBC reported that African students fleeing Ukraine to safety are experiencing racist treatment by Ukrainian security forces and border officials.

One of the students, Rachel Onyegbule from Nigeria, told CNN that they had had issues using public transportation to get to the borders.

In one instance, Onyegbule said they were ordered off the public bus at a checkpoint between Ukraine and Poland border.

She told the international publication that they were asked to stand aside as the bus drove off with only Ukrainian nationals on board.

“More than 10 buses came and we were watching everyone leave. We thought after they took all the Ukrainians they would take us, but they told us we had to walk, that there were no more buses and told us to walk,” said Onyegbule.
Korrine Sky, a 26-year-old medical student, living in Ukraine, told the People that African students trying to get buses were told Ukrainians were being prioritised.

Putin puts nuclear forces on high alert
On Sunday, February 27, Russian president Vladimir Putin ordered his Ministry of Defence to put nuclear deterrence forces on high alert.

Putin said his decision on nuclear weapons was occasioned by the aggressive statements made by North Atlantic Treaty Organization leaders and the economic sanctions against Moscow.

The move will reportedly keep the West on heightened alert as it is the first time that such a decree had been made during Putin’s tenure.