Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Monday said he had signed an official request for Ukraine to join the European Union.
Zelenskiy has asked the European Union to allow Ukraine to gain membership immediately under a special procedure as it defends itself from invasion by Russian forces.
This comes after ceasefire talks between Russia and its southern neighbour failed to reach a breakthrough and negotiators have not said when a new round would take place.
The aggressor, President Vladimir Putin is facing mounting international pressure for last week launching the biggest assault on a European state since World War Two, and the systemic impact of Western sanctions led to a near 30% collapse in the rouble on Monday before central bank intervention rescued the currency from its lows.
Staging a push for the capital, Russia has massed a convoy of armoured vehicles, tanks and other military equipment that stretches about 40 miles (64 km), US satellite company Maxar said.
Ukrainian officials reported heavy fighting on several fronts and said a Russian bombardment of Kharkiv, the country’s second largest city, had killed dozens.
“What I think is pretty certain is Russia is off their timeline. I think they thought that within 72 hours they’d hold Kyiv,” U.S. Republican Senator Marco Rubio said after a classified briefing with top Biden administration officials.
