Putin Illegally Annexes Ukraine Land; Kyiv Seeks NATO Entry

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.

Putin’s land-grab and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s signing of what he said is an “accelerated” NATO membership application sent the two leaders speeding faster on a collision course that is cranking up fears of a full-blown conflict between Russia and the West.

https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-moscow-referendums-dad270d8dccf8873ba7fe7758c387933