Putin annexes Ukraine territories, Kyiv vows to fight back
MOSCOW, Oct 1, ( AFP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin staged a grand ceremony in Moscow on Friday to celebrate the annexation of four parts of Ukraine occupied by his army, while Kyiv pushed for expedited NATO membership.
The event at the Kremlin -- a turning point in post-Soviet history -- came hours after shelling killed 30 people in Ukraine's southern region of Zaporizhzhia in one of the worst attacks against civilians in months.
Putin was defiant during his address to Russia's political elite, telling the West that the internationally condemned manoeuvre was irreversible and urging Ukraine to negotiate a surrender.
“I want to say this to the Kyiv regime and its masters in the West: People living in Lugansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia are becoming our citizens forever,” Putin said.
“We call on the Kyiv regime to immediately stop fighting and stop all hostilities... and return to the negotiating table.” The packed hall erupted into chants of “Russia! Russia” after the deal was inked.
Putin -- rarely seen making physical contact since the pandemic -- joined hands with his proxy leaders from the annexed regions and they shouted along in unison on state TV.
Washington announced “severe” new sanctions against Russian officials and the country's defence industry, and said G7 allies support imposing “costs” on any nation that backs the annexation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky immediately urged the US-led military alliance NATO to grant his country fasttrack membership.
The Ukrainian leader doubled down in an address to the nation, vowing never to hold talks with Russia as long as Putin was in power.
“We will negotiate with the new president,” Zelensky said.
US President Joe Biden condemned Friday's ceremony in Moscow as a “sham routine” that Putin put on to show strength but instead demonstrated that “he's struggling”, and pledged to continue backing Kyiv.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg slammed the annexation as “illegal and illegitimate” but remained
non-committal after Ukraine said it was applying to join the Western alliance.
The United States and Canada voiced support for Ukraine's membership but steered clear of promises to fast-track it.
Despite warnings from Putin prior to the annexation that he could use nuclear weapons to defend the captured territories, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro
Kuleba said Kyiv would “continue liberating our land and our people”.
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Friday that Washington would announce an
“immediate” new weapons shipment for Kyiv next week.
Sullivan also said that while there is a “risk” of Putin using nuclear weapons, there is no indication that he would imminently do so.
Russia on Friday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution condemning the annexation of the regions, while China, India, Brazil and Gabon abstained.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg slammed the annexation as “illegal and illegitimate”