“Prove that you are with us,” Zelensky implores Brussels

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As a kilometres-long convoy of Russian forces approached the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, the country’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, gave a powerful video address to members of the European Parliament on Tuesday. Pleading for Brussels to show which side it was on, he said, “Do prove that you are with us. Do prove that you will not let us go. Do prove that you are indeed Europeans and then life will win over death and light will win over darkness.”

“We have a desire to see our children alive, I think it is a fair one. We are fighting for survival. We are fighting to be equal members of Europe,” he explained, after having signed yesterday an official request from Kyiv to become an EU member state.

President of the European Council Charles Michel has said that the EU would take Ukraine’s membership submission seriously. After Zelensky’s speech, which received a standing ovation, Michel admitted it would be “difficult” given the “different” views in Europe. “The (European) Council will have to seriously look at the symbolic, political and legitimate request that has been made and make the appropriate choice in a determined and clear-headed manner,” he said.

The Guardian reports that Hungary’s foreign minister Peter Szijjarto said his country is in favour of starting membership talks with Ukraine, as proposed by leaders from eight EU member states: Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Slovenia.

Source: Al Jazeera, The Guardian