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Kyiv's April 2021: NATO appeal and cannabis vote
Summary
A look back at two political developments in Ukraine in the days leading up to 9 April 2021.
What was Ukraine's political agenda in the days before 9 April 2021? Two developments stood out in the days just before that date: a call to NATO from the president and a vote in parliament on medical cannabis.
On 6 April 2021, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on NATO to speed up Ukraine's accession to the alliance. He framed the appeal as a response to a growing build-up of Russian troops and military hardware on the country's borders. He also asked for help in ending the ongoing conflict in the Donbas with pro-Russian separatists.
A day later, on 7 April 2021, the Verkhovna Rada voted to legalise the use of medical cannabis products.
Together, the two events showed the range of business before Ukrainian authorities in the week of 9 April 2021: a security appeal directed at the alliance, and a domestic legislative change on health-related drug policy.
