Ukrainian President urges NATO to offer membership and more weapons to fight Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has urged NATO to offer his country membership and provide more weapons to fight against Russia.

During a joint news conference with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, Zelenskiy stated that the time had come for NATO to offer his country membership, ahead of a July summit in Vilnius, which he believes could be "historic."

He also emphasized that more weapons were needed to fight against Russia, which had invaded Ukraine almost 14 months ago. While NATO has supported Ukraine throughout the war by supplying it with weapons, Zelenskiy stated that more were required, as delays had caused deaths in Ukraine.

Stoltenberg stated that Ukraine's rightful place was in NATO, and that membership and security guarantees for Ukraine would be a high priority at the July summit. Russia opposes NATO admitting Ukraine, as it regards it as a hostile bloc.