Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed hope on Sunday that the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius will yield "the best possible results," as Kyiv seeks to align itself with the alliance.
The summit comes over a month after the start of a Ukrainian counter-offensive that has so far achieved modest gains against solid Russian defensive lines due to a lack of air power and artillery shells.
Following his meeting with Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda in the city of Lutsk, western Ukraine, Zelensky stated that they agreed to "work together to achieve the best possible results" for Kyiv at the summit scheduled for July 11th and 12th in Lithuania.
Duda, who is one of Kyiv's staunchest supporters in NATO, said, "We are stronger together."
It is expected that Kyiv will secure "security assurances" from the Western leaders during the summit, without committing to a timeline for membership.
Zelensky and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg acknowledged that Ukraine's accession to the alliance is unlikely before the war with Russia concludes.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden, who arrived in the United Kingdom on Sunday in preparation for the summit, expressed his hope that the military alliance's leaders would "chart a rational course to enable Ukraine to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization."
In an interview with CNN, Biden stated, "There are other qualifications that have to be met, including solidifying democracy."
The US president added, "I don't think there's a consensus within NATO about whether or not Ukraine joining the NATO family at this point, at this juncture, in the midst of a war." He continued, "If that were to happen, we'd be in a war with Russia."
Zelensky returned to Ukraine from Turkey with several leaders of the "Azov Battalion" who had been captured by Russia, in violation of an agreement with Moscow that stipulated their remaining where they were until the end of the conflict.
Their return to Ukraine, where they were welcomed as heroes, angered the Kremlin. Dmitry Peskov, the spokesperson for the Russian presidency, regarded it as a "direct violation of the terms of the agreements."
On Sunday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held talks with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, discussing the issue of the Azov Battalion leaders, according to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Sweden's Request -
Biden is counting on successful pressure on Turkey to change its position and agree to Sweden's accession to the alliance.
On Sunday, the White House announced in a statement that Biden informed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he "wants Sweden to join NATO as soon as possible."
In response, the Turkish presidency announced a meeting between the two presidents in Vilnius on the margins of the summit.
The Turkish statement indicated that the discussions would revolve around "Ukraine's position in NATO, Sweden's membership, and the delivery of F-16 fighters" that Turkey hopes to obtain from the United States.
In a statement made aboard the presidential plane, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan confirmed that Biden and Erdogan would have the opportunity to talk in Vilnius, but he noted that the agenda was still being prepared.
Sullivan stated that Sweden's accession to NATO is merely "a timing issue."
He added, "If we can get that done in Vilnius, that would be great. It may or may not happen" during the summit.
On Sunday, Erdogan reiterated his position, particularly his demand for Sweden to take a stricter stance toward suspected Kurdish refugees.
"Years of Danger" -
In the absence of accelerated Ukrainian accession to NATO, Kyiv received a promise from the United States on Friday to supply cluster munitions, a controversial weapon that Zelensky considers a "critical aid program."
These weapons, banned by several countries, face widespread criticism for their indiscriminate killing capabilities, as they disperse smaller explosive submunitions over a designated target. They are designed to explode before, during, or after impact, resulting in the deaths of a significant number of civilians.
Biden affirmed that the decision to provide Ukraine with cluster bombs was "very difficult" but "the right thing to do."
On Sunday, Sullivan stated that Kyiv had committed to limiting the use of these munitions to Ukrainian territory, where their greatest incentive was reducing their impact on civilians, as Ukrainian citizens would be at risk.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also held talks on Sunday with his Ukrainian counterpart, who provided "assurances" regarding the use of cluster bombs, according to Sullivan.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen reminded Ukraine on Sunday of his country's "painful experience" of being bombed with American cluster munitions in the early 1970s.
In a tweet, Hun Sen wrote, "The greatest danger will befall Ukrainians for years." The US bombings resulted in the deaths or disabilities of tens of thousands of people.
Russia condemned the decision to supply Ukraine with cluster bombs, considering it "evidence of weakness" in the face of the "failure" of the Ukrainian counter-offensive. Russia believes that by doing so, Washington is becoming an accomplice in the killing of civilians.
AFP