He insisted that the country had earned the right to join the EU and this could be achieved through a “new special procedure.”
“We appeal to the European Union to immediately admit Ukraine as a member under a new special procedure,” he said during his speech, according to a translation.
“I’m convinced Ukraine has earned the right and that this is possible.”
European leaders over the weekend announced a new series of sanctions against Russia. The EU also said it would help arm Ukrainian forces.
Guardian journalist Alec Luhn posted a clip of this speech and added that Russian President Vladimir Putin would hate Ukraine joining the European Union as much as if it had joined NATO.
"We appeal to the European Union to immediately admit Ukraine as a member under a new special procedure," Zelensky says. "I'm convinced Ukraine has earned the right & that this is possible."
— Alec Luhn (@ASLuhn) February 28, 2022
Putin would hate that almost as much as if it joined NATO pic.twitter.com/dEzB7bc5So
Putin has regularly complained about NATO’s growth and prior to the invasion warned of Ukraine becoming a member.
Last year, during a meeting with the Russian Defense Ministry Board, he said it was critical NATO denied Ukraine becoming a member.
He insisted tensions were heightened because of the actions of NATO and the U.S.