Is Ukraine preparing to become the 32nd member of the military alliance? NATO leaders will meet on Tuesday 11 July and Wednesday 12 July for a summit in Lithuania where they will respond in particular to Ukraine’s bid for membership. On the way to Vilnius, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was hoping for “the best possible outcome”. Follow our live.
A candidacy far from reaching consensus. “I do not think so [l’Ukraine] “Ready to be part of NATO,” declared Joe Biden in particular. In his last days, Volodymyr Zelenskyi seemed to realize that his country’s entry into NATO before the end of the war was unlikely. But the Ukrainian President, supported by the countries of the East, is counting on “security guarantees” from the West at this summit.
A European tour for Joe Biden. In the run-up to this summit, the US President arrived in London on Sunday evening. His program is very busy this Monday: meeting Charles III at Windsor Castle, then meeting Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Dowining Street. He is expected in Vilnius on Tuesday before flying to Finland, a historically neutral country that has just joined NATO.
Sweden’s accession is still pending. Turkey has blocked Sweden’s candidacy since May 2022. Recepp Tayyip Erdogan accuses him of alleged tolerance of the Kurdish community, which the Turkish president has classified as “terrorist”. However, NATO believes it is possible to get “a positive decision” from Turkey. Erdogan is meeting his Swedish counterpart for final negotiations today, Monday.