Ukraine applies to join the NATO. The application was signed on Friday, September 30, by President Volodymyr Zelensky after the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. Videos of the Ukrainian president’s address and the moment of signing the application were shared on his Telegram account.

"De facto, we have already completed our path to NATO. De facto, we have already proven interoperability with the Alliance’s standards, they are real for Ukraine - real on the battlefield and in all aspects of our interaction. We trust each other, we help each other and we protect each other. This is what the Alliance is. De facto. Today, Ukraine is applying to make it de jure. Under a procedure consistent with our significance for the protection of our entire community. Under an accelerated procedure,” said Volodymyr Zelensky.

The submission of the application comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin proclaimed the illegal annexation of the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporozhye and Kherson.

The Republic of Moldova does not recognize the attempted illegal annexation of some Ukrainian territories by the Russian Federation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration emphasized in a press statement that the Republic of Moldova reaffirms its firm support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, within its internationally recognized borders.