Contents
- Drone strikes in Ukraine ahead of the summit
- Photo: Biden signs the guest book at the Presidential Palace in Vilnius
- Zelenskyy says ‘Ukraine will be in NATO’ in speech ahead of summit
- Photo: Biden received at the Presidential Palace of Lithuania
- ‘Important day for Ukraine’: Zelenskyy’s chief of staff
- Biden says he’s ‘not at all’ surprised by Turkey’s reversal of Sweden
- NATO will send Ukraine a “positive signal” about NATO’s path, says White House
- Biden welcomes Turkey’s decision to back Sweden’s NATO bid
- Türkiye agrees to back Sweden’s NATO candidacy
- NATO leaders meet in the Lithuanian capital
Drone strikes in Ukraine ahead of the summit
Russia continued to attack Ukrainian cities with drones on the eve of the NATO summit, Ukrainian officials have said.
The drones caused structural damage in an unidentified settlement in the central region of kyiv, but the Ukrainian Interior Ministry did not report any casualties.
Officials in the southern port city of Odessa also confirmed several waves of drone strikes overnight. The city’s regional warfare administration said 22 drones were destroyed, but two hit a port facility administration building. Two port terminals, including one with grain, caught fire due to falling debris, it added, but no critical damage or injuries were reported.
Moscow denies attacking civilian targets in Ukraine, but has sent barrages of drones and missiles at residential areas and civilian infrastructure during the war.
Photo: Biden signs the guest book at the Presidential Palace in Vilnius
Biden signs the guest book during a bilateral meeting with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda on the sidelines of the NATO Summit at the Presidential Palace in Vilnius on Tuesday.
Zelenskyy says ‘Ukraine will be in NATO’ in speech ahead of summit
It is clear that Ukraine deserves to be in NATO and the country needs a sign that it will eventually become part of the alliance, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his daily address on Monday night.
While Kiev realizes that it will not be able to join as the war continues, NATO’s eastern flank is dependent on Ukraine, so it is understood that the country will eventually become part of NATO.
“We are working so that the algorithm for gaining membership is as clear and fast as possible,” he added.
Photo: Biden received at the Presidential Palace of Lithuania
President Biden and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda during an official welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Vilnius on Tuesday.
‘Important day for Ukraine’: Zelenskyy’s chief of staff
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak is preparing for what he said will be an “important day for Ukraine” when NATO leaders meet in Vilnius for the first day of the summit.
“Today, we are working with our allies on security architecture issues,” Yermak said in a Telegram post, as Kiev waits to see what the alliance will come up with in terms of a clear path to Ukraine’s membership.
Biden says he’s ‘not at all’ surprised by Turkey’s reversal of Sweden
VILNIUS—President Biden said he was “not at all” surprised by Turkey’s decision Monday to clear the way for Sweden’s entry into the NATO alliance, a sudden turnaround as leaders met for the start of the summit. in Vilnius, Lithuania.
“I’ll talk about that later,” Biden promised as he sat down to meet with the Lithuanian president.
When asked what made Turkey agree to a deal, Biden smiled and said, “What do you think?” but he did not elaborate.
Turkey’s President Erdogan had earlier linked Sweden’s NATO offer to Turkey joining the European Union, creating an apparent roadblock before it was quickly dissolved.
NATO will send Ukraine a “positive signal” about NATO’s path, says White House
VILNIUS — The White House said President Biden and transatlantic leaders would send “a united and positive signal” to Ukraine on its path to future NATO membership this week, but it dashed hopes that Kiev could be accelerated into the alliance. defensive.
“Bringing Ukraine into the alliance now in Vilnius would bring NATO to war with Russia. Furthermore, Ukraine has more steps to take on its reform path, but the allies will send a united and positive signal on Ukraine’s path toward future alliance membership,” Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security adviser, told reporters. , adding that the leaders are unlikely to agree on a timetable for the process.
“There is a consensus, including from Ukraine, that the issue is not Ukraine in NATO now, here in Vilnius. The question is what is the path to the future membership of Ukraine, ”she said. “I think we can come to a good understanding on that, here in Vilnius, between all the allies and with Ukraine.”
Ukraine’s push for security guarantees has been a source of tension ahead of the talks, with Biden warning over the weekend that his assent would pit NATO members, including the United States, against Russia in the ongoing conflict.
Biden welcomes Turkey’s decision to back Sweden’s NATO bid
Biden welcomed Turkey’s decision to back Sweden’s NATO bid after a year of opposition to the Scandinavian country’s application.
“I welcome the statement issued by Türkiye, Sweden and the NATO Secretary General tonight,” Biden said in a statement. “I am ready to work with President Erdogan and Türkiye to improve defense and deterrence in the Euro-Atlantic area.”
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday that Turkey agreed to support Sweden’s bid to join the NATO military alliance after talks between Erdogan and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson the night before the start scheduled for the NATO summit.
Türkiye agrees to back Sweden’s NATO candidacy
Turkey has agreed to support Sweden’s bid to join the NATO military alliance after a year of opposition, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday, calling the moment a “historic step”.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has agreed to send the accession protocol to the Turkish parliament for approval as soon as possible, Stoltenberg said, noting that Erdogan would “guarantee ratification.”
“Sweden will become a full member of the alliance,” Stoltenberg said.
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NATO leaders meet in the Lithuanian capital
President Joe Biden and other NATO leaders will meet this morning in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius for a key summit that could alter the course of the war in Ukraine, as well as the future of the alliance itself.
NATO leaders will join the summit in a renewed spirit of collaboration after Turkey dropped its longstanding objections to Sweden joining the alliance.
The war in Ukraine will be high on the summit’s agenda, and alliance leaders are expected to review plans to deal with Russian aggression.
