News & Events

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed treaties Friday to illegally annex more occupied Ukrainian territory in a sharp escalation of his war. Ukraine’s president countered with a surprise application to join the NATO military alliance.

Russia on Friday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution condemning Moscow’s annexation of four Ukrainian territories. China, India and Brazil abstained from the vote, which came hours after President Vladimir Putin signed a decree incorporating four Ukrainian regions into Russia.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said his country is submitting an “accelerated” application to join the NATO military alliance, after Russian leader Vladimir Putin proclaimed the annexation of four partially occupied Ukrainian regions.

US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield introduced a resolution condemning Russia over the so-called referendums being carried out in four regions of Ukraine.

Four so-called referendums have ended in Russian-held regions of Ukraine – votes which Moscow may use as grounds to annex more territory. Moscow-installed officials in the regions are now claiming almost total support among those who took part in the disputed votes on joining Russia.

Kazakhstan, a close ally of Russia, will not recognize the results of so-called referendums organized by Moscow on Ukraine’s territories occupied by Russian troops.

Russia launched referendums on Friday aimed at annexing four occupied regions of Ukraine, drawing condemnation from Kyiv and Western nations who dismissed the votes as a sham and pledged not to recognise their results.