Ukraine submits 'accelerated' application to NATO

SHOTLIST:RESTRICTION SUMMARY:UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE HANDOUTKyiv - 30 September 20221. Various of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and head of Verkhovna Rada (Supreme Council of Ukraine) Ruslan Stefanchuk signing NATO applicationHEADLINE: Ukraine submits 'accelerated' application to NATO ANNOTATION: "President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Friday that Ukraine had applied to join NATO under 'an accelerated procedure'. ANNOTATION: " It wasn't immediately clear what an 'accelerated' application means, as ascension to NATO requires the unanimous support of the alliance members."3. SOUNDBITE (Ukrainian) Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian President:"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."4. Zelenskyy holding up NATO applicationSTORYLINE:Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Friday that Ukraine had applied to join NATO under what he called "an accelerated procedure".It wasn't immediately clear what an "accelerated" application would mean, as ascension to NATO requires the unanimous support of the alliance members."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," Zelenskyy said."We trust each other, we help each other, and we protect each other. This is the alliance."===========================================================Clients are reminded: (i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: info@aparchive.com(ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service (iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory.