EU set to receive membership bids from two new countries after Ukraine's application

An EU official has said Georgia and Moldova are set to apply for membership in the wake of President Putin's aggression in Ukraine.

The official said the applications from both countries were due "imminently".

While little is known about the Moldovan plans to join the EU, the ruling party in Georgia had announced their plans on Thursday, with chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream - Irakli Kobakhidze - telling journalists yesterday the decision of the party was “based on the overall political context and the new reality”.

Georgia's defence minister Juansher Burchuladze was also quoted by the TASS news agency as saying joining NATO was the only way to ensure his countries territorial integrity.

He reportedly spoke after meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, as Russia clashes with the West over the aspirations of Ukraine to join NATO.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has recently submitted a formal application from Ukraine to join the European Union.

On the fifth day of the Russian invasion, Mr Zelenskyy requested that his country be allowed to join the 27-nation bloc.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy received a huge round of applause after a defiant speech to the EU Parliament on Tuesday.

The EU announced on Sunday an unprecedented set of measures to support Ukrainians, confirming it will close its air space to Russian airlines, fund supplies of weapons to Ukraine and ban some pro-Kremlin media outlets in response to Russia’s invasion.