Ukraine prods NATO on entry

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday urged NATO to speed up his country's track for membership of the alliance, a move Russian officials said would not help resolve the conflict in east Ukraine.

Zelensky spoke with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday after an increase in clashes and Russian military movements on the border.

In a tweet after the call, Zelensky said it was time for NATO to move forward with Ukraine's long-standing desire for membership, adding Kiev was committed to defense reforms requested by the alliance for membership.