The White House stated on Friday that "U.S. President Joe Biden and other NATO leaders will discuss at this week's summit the steps Ukraine must take to join the alliance," adding that "there are additional reforms Kyiv needs to implement while facing the Russian invasion." U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan mentioned that "there will be no vote on Ukraine's accession to NATO during the summit in Vilnius, but he encouraged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to attend to discuss the matter."
Sullivan further noted: "The NATO summit will delve into the relationship between the alliance and Ukraine concerning its path toward future membership and the ongoing partnership that has existed for several years." He stated that "alliance members will discuss whether Ukraine has moved beyond the need for a membership action plan."
Sullivan indicated that "Biden has repeatedly said there is an open door, there is a path for Ukraine, and Ukraine needs to undertake additional reforms to move towards NATO membership. This remains true today." Ukraine hopes to receive a clear signal regarding its membership prospects at the Vilnius summit.
Sweden is also a key topic on Biden's agenda in Vilnius. Turkey is obstructing Sweden's accession to the alliance. In this context, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan asserted that "Stockholm hosts members of armed groups, specifically supporters of the PKK in Sweden, who he accuses of organizing protests and funding terrorist groups."
Sullivan remarked that "Sweden will gain NATO membership despite Turkey's opposition. Biden will discuss Sweden with Erdogan at some point during the summit, but he does not know the format of the talks."
