UKRAINE WANTS TO JOIN NATO, SEND ‘REAL SIGNAL TO RUSSIA’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants to speed up the country's path to NATO membership to send a "real signal to Russia."

Zelenskyy made the call after discussing rising tensions in eastern Ukraine with the military alliance's secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg, Euronews reported.

"In recent weeks, we have seen a very dangerous tendency to increase the number of ceasefire violations by the Russian occupation forces and the number of Ukrainian defenders killed," Zelenskyy said in a statement. Zelenskyy also called on NATO member countries to strengthen their military presence in the Black Sea region.

"Such a permanent presence should be a powerful deterrent to Russia, which continues the large-scale militarization of the region and hinders trade shipping," said Zelenskyy.

More than 13,000 people have been killed in the conflict in eastern Ukraine, which began in 2014 after a pro-Western revolution in Kyiv and Moscow's annexation of Crimea, Agence France-Presse (AFP) also reported.

On Tuesday, two more military soldiers were shot dead in fighting with pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, the country's army said.

Ukraine's army has accused the separatists of firing on Ukrainian positions with machine guns and grenade launchers.

The first incident took place near the town of Avdiivka in the Donetsk region, the second near the town of Zolote-4 in the Lugansk region, the press service of the Ukrainian military operation told AFP. Both soldiers died from their wounds on Monday, the authorities said. The deaths come amid rising tensions and clashes along the frontline, raising fears of an escalation of the conflict.

WEEKLY FEATURE : BONNER DYTOC SHOWS THE WAY IN STOCK PLAY