As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues with no end in sight, NATO’s much-celebrated unity faces fresh strains when leaders gather for their annual summit this week in Vilnius, Lithuania.
By CHRIS MEGERIAN, LORNE COOK and SEUNG MIN KIM
Bickering among friends is not uncommon, and the current catalogue of disputes pales in comparison to past fears that Donald Trump would turn his back on the alliance during his presidency. However, the challenges come at a moment when President Joe Biden and his counterparts are heavily invested in demonstrating harmony among members.
He noted Germany’s shift toward a more robust defense policy as well as other countries’ increase in military spending. U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “wants countries to abide by the terms of that convention and so as a result, of course, he does not want there to be continued use of cluster munitions on the battlefield.”In particular, NATO leaders said back in 2008 that Ukraine would eventually become a member, but little action has been taken toward that goal.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is pushing for that as well. During a visit to Prague on Thursday, he said the “ideal” result of the Vilnius summit would be an invitation for his country to join the alliance. Erdogan accuses Sweden of being too lenient on anti-Islamic demonstrations and militant Kurdish groups that have waged a decades-long insurgency in Turkey.
It’s not the first time that Erdogan has used a NATO summit for Turkish gain. In 2009, he held up the nomination of Anders Fogh Rasmussen as secretary general but agreed to the move after securing some senior posts for Turkish officials at the alliance.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
NATO flexes muscle to protect Vilnius summit near Russia, BelarusNATO has turned Vilnius into a fortress defended by advanced weaponry to protect U.S. President Joe Biden and other alliance leaders meeting next week only 32 km (20 miles) from Lithuania's razor-wire topped border fence with Russian ally Belarus.
Read more »
NATO unity will be tested at upcoming summit. Ukraine's possible entry may be the biggest challengeNATO's much-celebrated unity faces fresh strains when leaders gather for their annual summit this week in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Read more »
Biden journeys through Europe ahead of NATO summitPresident Biden begins a five-day swing through Europe with a focus on NATO gathering later this week, as allied countries look to boost support for Ukraine and the possibility of Sweden’s approval to join the military alliance.
Read more »
Joe Biden says US at an 'inflection point' ahead of appearance at NATO summitPresident Joe Biden says the United States is at an 'inflection point' ahead of his appearance at the NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, this week.
Read more »
Arizona's Motiejus Krivas leads Lithuania to U20 win; Henri Veesaar posts double-doubleArizona center Motiejus Krivas had 15 points and eight rebounds to lead Lithuania to an 86-67 win over Croatia in the opening day of the FIBA U20 European Championships in Heraklion, Greece, while UA sophomore forward Henri Veesaar collected 13…
Read more »
At the NATO summit in Vilnius: Will Biden seize or squander the chance to end Putin’s war on Ukraine?Biden must offer Kyiv a clear path to NATO membership after the end of the fighting and ensure it has the weapons to win.
Read more »