The Ukrainian president has signed an application for the country's membership in European Union, tweeted the handle of the country's parliament, with the move coming in the midst of an invasion by Russian forces.
Earlier in the day, talks were held between Ukraine and Russian representatives at the Belarussian border.
Ukraine has vowed not to give ground at talks with Moscow and said their goal for the talks was an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine.
Fighting has claimed dozens of civilian lives, forced hundreds and thousands of Ukrainians to flee west and could, according to the EU, eventually displace up to seven million people.
Russia has become an international pariah as its forces do battle on the streets of Ukraine's cities, facing a barrage of sanctions including a ban from Western airspace and key financial networks.
