Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy signs an official request for Ukraine to join the European Union, with Prime Minister Denys Shmygal (R) and Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk standing next to him, in Kyiv, Ukraine, February 28, 2022. [Reuters]
The presidents of eight central and eastern European nations on Monday called on European Union member states to immediately grant Ukraine a EU candidate country status and open membership talks according to an open letter published on Monday.