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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg answers questions from journalists after a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council in Brussels. - Sputnik International

Live Updates: Day 2 of NATO Summit in Vilnius

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Leaders of North Atlantic Treaty Organization have gathered in Vilnius to discuss most pressing issues while prioritizing the Ukrainian crisis and Sweden's entry bid.
The first day of the summit showed that North Atlantic Alliance is more aggressive and offensive than ever, political scientists told Sputnik. Leaders of the Washington-backed bloc showed readiness to expand in Asia and even confront China, blaming the latter for military build-up.
NATO members also showed commitment to gradually increase defense spending and demonstrated readiness to continue pumping Kiev regime with weapons and ammunition. Yet the NATO officials remained vague at best on another key issue – the deadline for Ukrainian accession – sparking outrage among Kiev politicians.
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18:21 GMT 12.07.2023
Biden Considering Sending ATACMS to Ukraine - Reports
US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday he is considering sending ATACMS long-range guided missiles to Ukraine, US media reported.
"We are working on that," Biden was quoted as saying, when asked whether he is thinking about providing about ATACMS to Kiev.
Biden also said that Ukraine already has an equivalent of ATACMS missiles and mainly needs artillery at the moment.
16:21 GMT 12.07.2023
Zelensky: Ukraine Not Interested in Hosting Any Foreign Military While Country Not in NATO
“This issue [on Ukraine hosting foreign military] has not been raised by anyone, and we are not interested in this, and NATO countries [are not interested], in deploying some foreign forces while are not in NATO. In this case, our armed forces are enough, the question is the latest NATO standard weapons. And when we are in NATO, I'm sure they can be invited to provide security on the territory of other countries,” Zelensky said at a press conference after the NATO summit in Vilnius.
15:24 GMT 12.07.2023
Turkiye Plans to Promptly Consider Sweden’s NATO Membership Bid
Turkish General Assembly, the country’s parliament, plans to consider Sweden’s NATO membership application promptly, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday.
"There is no talk of the parliament considering the protocol in October after returning from vacation. However, many international agreements and laws have accumulated in the parliament, but we take into account the importance of this step. Our goal is to complete this task as soon as possible," Erdogan said after the NATO summit in Vilnius.
14:31 GMT 12.07.2023
NATO flag in the wind at the NATO headquarters in Brussels. (File) - Sputnik International, 1920, 12.07.2023
World
NATO Countries Reaffirm Ukraine's Right to Join Alliance Without MAP
14:24 GMT 12.07.2023
NATO Adopts Plan to Transfer 100,000 Soldiers to Poland if Necessary, Polish President Duda Says
14:09 GMT 12.07.2023
Kiev Hopes to Sign Security Assurances at 2024 NATO Summit in Washington
Kiev expects to sign security assurances for Ukraine at the NATO summit in Washington in 2024, which will be in effect until the country joins the alliance, Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's office said on Wednesday.
13:43 GMT 12.07.2023
Netherlands to Spend 2% of GDP on Defense From 2024
The Netherlands will be spending 2% of its gross domestic product on defense starting 2024 to meet the NATO target, Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren said on Wednesday.
“It is our commitment now. We have to get there. I am really happy that this is something we have anticipated and next year we will be on the 2%,” she told a public forum on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Vilnius.
Ollongren added that the next government would need to carry that commitment into the coming years and optimally “translate it into budgets” for 10-20 years to come “to have the predictability of being able to rely on that budget.”
“This year, for instance, when we had to do budget cuts in the Netherlands the Ministry of Defense was exempted from these budget cuts,” she said.
The Dutch will vote in a general election this fall after Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s four-party ruling coalition resigned over a migration policy dispute last week. Rutte said he would quit politics after the polls.
13:33 GMT 12.07.2023
Biden: G7 Allies Agree to Help Ukraine Build Strong, Capable Defense Across Land, Air and Sea
"Today's members of the G7 are launching a joint declaration of support for Ukraine to make it clear that our support will last long into the future. This starts a process by which each of our nations and any other nation who wishes to participate will negotiate long-term bilateral security commitments with and to Ukraine," Biden said. "We're going to help Ukraine build a strong capable defense across land, air, and sea … which will deter against any and all threats."
13:17 GMT 12.07.2023
Switzerland in Talks With NATO on Opening Liaison Office in Geneva
Switzerland is currently in talks with NATO to open an office of the alliance in Geneva to strengthen relations with the UN, Swiss Foreign Ministry spokesman Pierre-Alain Eltschinger told Sputnik on Wednesday.
"Switzerland has taken note of NATO's announcement about the possibility of establishing a liaison office with international organizations in Geneva. Discussions are underway on this issue," Eltschinger said.
On Tuesday, NATO's communique said that the alliance was studying the possibility of establishing a liaison office in Geneva to further strengthen engagement with the United Nations and other international organizations.
12:15 GMT 12.07.2023
White House: Biden to Discuss Long-Range Missiles with Zelensky in Vilnius Today
US President Joe Biden will continue to discuss long-range missiles with Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday at the NATO summit in Vilnius, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said.
"With respect to the long-range missiles you’re referring to, President Biden will continue to discuss that issue with President Zelensky today. He has said he’s been looking at it and he continues to do so," Sullivan told media.
Sullivan added that US President Joe Biden has been clear about his view that F-16 jets should be transferred to Turkiye, and he will stay in close touch with Sen. Robert Menendez regarding his objections.
"President Biden has been clear about his view that those F-16s should be transferred. It is in our interest, it is in NATO alliance's interest, that Turkiye get those planes. But we want to do that carefully and in consultation with the Congress, and Senator Menendez has an important voice in this, so we will continue to stay in close touch with him," Sullivan told US broadcaster.
The Group of Seven nations (G7) will on Wednesday announce long-term military aid for Ukraine to assist the country as it works toward NATO membership, Jake Sullivan stressed.
"Today the G7 led by President [Joe] Biden will stand up with President Zelensky to announce we're prepared to provide that security assistance long out into the future, and certainly for the duration of the period while Ukraine is working its way on the pathway towards NATO," Sullivan told US broadcaster in an interview.
12:13 GMT 12.07.2023
Not Amazon’: London Slams Zelensky for Weapons Wishlist
Defense Secretary Ben Wallace reportedly expressed regret that Ukraine is not grateful enough for weapons London supplies.
He recalled travelling 11 hours only to be immediately presented with a weapons wishlist. According to British media, he told Ukrainian officials: “We are not Amazon.”
11:52 GMT 12.07.2023
Germany Says Ukraine Not Given Timeline for NATO Accession as Unclear When Conflict Ends
NATO has given Ukraine no timeline for its accession to the bloc yet since the allies do not know when the conflict there will end, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Friday.
11:46 GMT 12.07.2023
An F-16C Fighting Falcon assigned to the 85th Test Evaluation Squadron shoots an AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM over testing ranges near Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., March 19, 2019. - Sputnik International, 1920, 12.07.2023
Military
NATO Allies Sign Pact on F-16 Jet Training for Ukraine
11:37 GMT 12.07.2023
Sunak, Zelensky Agree Security Guarantees to Not Replace Kiev's NATO Membership
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Volodymyr Zelensky have agreed that security arrangements will not be a substitute for Ukraine's membership in NATO, the prime minister's office said on Wednesday.
11:36 GMT 12.07.2023

Ukrainian army troops in the helicopter during President Petro Poroshenko's visit to the Donetsk region - Sputnik International, 1920, 12.07.2023
Russia's Special Operation in Ukraine
Wallace Admits UK, Allies Were Building Ukraine's Military Capability Before Conflict
10:28 GMT 12.07.2023
Soldiers with the U.S. Army's 87th Division Sustainment Support Battalion, 3rd Division Sustainment Brigade, board a chartered plane during their deployment to Europe, Friday, March 11, 2022, at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Ga.  - Sputnik International, 1920, 12.07.2023
Military
Latvian Prime Minister Admits NATO Worked Out Defense Plans Before Vilnius Summit
10:15 GMT 12.07.2023
Japan to Supply Ukraine With Non-Lethal Equipment
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced at the NATO summit that Japan would supply Ukraine with non-lethal equipment such as detection systems for unmanned aerial vehicle, media reported on Wednesday.
Funds for the supplies will be allocated from $30 million that Tokyo contributed to the NATO fund, the Japanese news agency said.
09:58 GMT 12.07.2023
Kremlin Calls NATO Offensive Alliance That Promotes Instability, Aggression
NATO is an offensive alliance that promotes instability and aggression, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.
"This [NATO] is not an alliance that was created, conceived and designed in order to ensure stability and security. This is an offensive alliance. This is an alliance that brings instability, which brings aggression," Peskov said.
The provision of cluster munitions to Ukraine changes the situation and forces Russia to take countermeasures, Kremlin spokesman added.
Last week, the US unveiled a new military assistance package for Ukraine that includes cluster munitions.
"Of course, the possible use of this type of ammunition changes the situation and, of course, forces Russia to take certain countermeasures," Peskov told a briefing.
09:56 GMT 12.07.2023
Russia-China Relations Not Directed Against 3rd Countries, Alliances – Kremlin
Relations between Russia and China is not directed and has never been directed against third countries and alliances, these relations bring peace and stability in the region, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.
Following the first say of the NATO summit in Vilnius on Tuesday, the leaders said in a joint communique that deepening the partnership between China and Russia is contrary to the values and interests of the alliance. In response, Peskov said that such statements indicate a misunderstanding of the essence of Russian-Chinese relations.
"I just said that our relations are in no way directed and have never been directed against third countries or against any alliances ... These relations really bring peace, they bring stability in the region, they create prosperity for the peoples of the two countries," Peskov told reporters.
09:36 GMT 12.07.2023
Kremlin Says Providing Ukraine with Any Security Assurances Extremely Dangerous, Infringe on Russia’s Security
Providing Ukraine with any security assurances is extremely wrong and very dangerous, they infringe on Russia's security, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.
"We consider it [providing Ukraine with security assurances] to be extremely erroneous and potentially very dangerous. Because by providing any kind of security assurances to Ukraine, these countries actually ignore the international principle of the indivisibility of security. That is, by providing security guarantees to Ukraine, they encroach on Russia's security," Peskov told reporters.
This is also fraught with very, very negative consequences in the medium, long term and even in the short term, the official said, adding that Moscow does not support providing security assurances to Ukraine and hopes that NATO will listen to its opponents for any security assurances to Kiev will make Europe a more dangerous place for years to come.
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