Biden and NATO leaders meet in Lithuania as Turkey agrees to back Sweden to join

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has landed in Vilnius for the NATO summit, where alliance members are to discuss Ukraine’s membership.

The Ukrainian President said on Twitter that he saw “no willingness to invite Ukraine into NATO or make it a member”.

President Joe Biden cracked jokes as he met NATO leaders at a key summit in Vilnius, Lithuania on Tuesday.

Speaking to Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, he joked that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin could protect NATO “alone”.

“We have the Secretary of Defense with us today. We can send him alone – he’s enough,” he said, before adding a more serious comment: “We’re all in a war together.”

The president also said he was looking forward to welcoming Sweden to membership after Turkey announced its support for the move.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the US “played an indispensable role in European security, including through unwavering support for Ukraine”.

Stoltenberg met with US President Joe Biden at the NATO summit in Lithuania.

Meanwhile, voters believe Sir Keir Starmer outperforms Rishi Sunak on all 17 leadership qualities, a poll by Redfield & Wilton Strategies has found.

The Labor leader is 10 percent ahead of the Tory leader, their widest combined lead since Sunak came in 10th on who was the better Prime Minister.

Mr. Sunak’s personal approval rating is minus 16 percent, its lowest level in four months. Labor leader Keir Starmer’s net approval rating is 9 percent, up two points from last week.

Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed US President Biden to the NATO summit and thanked him for his “strong leadership”.

Meanwhile, Biden told Stoltenberg, “I think it’s really important at this critical moment that you continue to lead NATO. You’re trusted.”

“Your leadership is really important,” he added, expressing his agreement with “the language you proposed regarding the future of Ukraine’s NATO accession.”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in his speech on Good Morning America that the summit will deliver “a very strong package of political and practical support for Ukraine”.

On Ukraine’s path to membership, Blinken said that “in terms of reforming its military and strengthening its democracy, much remains to be done.” He added that the NATO alliance is very “unified” and “in very practical ways will demonstrate its enduring support for Ukraine, including on the path to membership”.

Referring to Sweden’s NATO entry, Blinken said: “Our alliance is stronger, it’s bigger, […] It’s more united than ever. And that, among other things, sends a very strong message to Vladimir Putin that he will not outlast Ukraine and NATO. We are determined to support Ukraine in this Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. We are committed to ensuring that our alliance, our defense alliance, is as strong as possible in the event of further Russian aggression.”

Finland’s foreign minister said she “understands” concerns about the US decision to send cluster munitions to Ukraine.

Elina Valtonen said: “I’m not saying it’s a mistake. I see the concerns involved.

“The principle behind it is clear: help Ukraine to defend its country,” she said in an interview on the sidelines of the summit.

“I welcome the statement made tonight by Türkiye, Sweden and the NATO Secretary General, including President Erdoğan’s commitment to submit the accession protocol for Sweden to the Türkiye Grand National Assembly for expeditious ratification,” Joe Biden said in a statement Monday.

“I am ready to work with President Erdoğan and Türkiye to improve defense and deterrence in the Euro-Atlantic space. I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Kristersson and Sweden as our 32nd NATO ally. And I thank Secretary General Stoltenberg for his unwavering leadership.”