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☆ Analysis: NATO's crucial summit in Vilnius nearly came off the rails and gave Russia a PR victory
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been pushing for a clear path to join NATO for some time. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty ImagesWestern officials and diplomats, however, hoped that the issue would not be the focus of this week’s summit. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, second left, and Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda, second right, address the public during an event on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, Tuesday, July 11, 2023. All of which created room for speculation about NATO’s unity, and allowed its adversaries to call the summit a failure. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (C) poses for an official family photo with the participants of the NATO Summit in Vilnius on July 11, 2023.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Joe Biden, Andrew Caballero, Reynolds, Zelensky, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Gitanas Nauseda, Pavel Golovkin, Ben Wallace, ”, ” Brett Bruen, Obama, “, Jens Stoltenberg, Odd Andersen, There’s, David van Weel, – Organizations: CNN, NATO, Ukraine, Getty, Ukraine's, British, USA, ”, NATO “ Locations: Lithuanian, Vilnius, Sweden, Turkey, Brussels, Ukraine, AFP, Russia, Lithuania, Russian, America, Vilnius –, Washington

☆ Retired US general and former CIA chief says Putin's Ukraine invasion has 'made NATO great again'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

David Petraeus told CNN that Putin's invasion was a "catastrophically bad decision for his country." "He set out to make Russia great again, and really has made NATO great again," Petraeus said. The retired general had led US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan before serving as CIA director. Petraeus told CNN in March 2022 — a month after the invasion — that he thinks the Russian army "clearly have very poor standards when it comes to performing basic tactical tasks." And in February, Petraeus told CNN that it's now clear Putin is waging a ruthless war of attrition in Ukraine.

Persons: David Petraeus, Petraeus, Vladimir Putin's, Putin, CNN's Jake Tapper, James Stavridis, Stavridis, — Organizations: CNN, NATO, Service, CIA, MSNBC, US Army Locations: Russia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Vilnius, Lithuania

☆ 'Gratitude' spat: NATO and Ukraine's clash over aid reveals a strained power dynamic
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Silvia Amaro | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

This culminated with the Ukrainian leader, Volodomyr Zelenskyy, saying Tuesday that the absence of a timeline for his country to join NATO was "absurd." Even if some members were very keen to follow Ukraine's request, the United States in particular isn't supportive of immediate membership for Kyiv at this time. But I promise you, the United States is doing everything we can to get you what you need as rapidly as we can get it to you." watch nowThe 31 members of NATO did not commit to a date for when Ukraine can join the group. However, Valtonen disregarded claims that Ukraine has not shown gratitude, arguing that aid should not be seen as charity.

Persons: Volodomyr Zelenskyy, Joe Biden, Sean Gallup, Jacob Kirkegaard, Jake Sullivan, Ben Wallace, Rishi Sunak, Maria Demertzis, Zelenskyy, Biden, we're, Elina Valtonen, Valtonen Organizations: Getty, NATO, CNBC, Kyiv, German Marshall Fund of, Diplomat, . Defense, Reuters, European Union, Financial Times, Twitter Locations: Ukraine, Vilnius, Lithuania, Kyiv, United States, U.S, Washington, China, British, Russia, Finland

☆ Turkey’s Double Dealing in the Ukraine War
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Michael Kimmage | Hanna Notte | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky (left) with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after their meeting in Istanbul on July 7. Photo: Tolga Bozoglu/Zuma PressAt the last minute, Turkey gave a gift to NATO, whose members gathered in Vilnius this week for a much-anticipated summit. It dropped its objections to Sweden’s entry into the alliance, confirming NATO’s transformation after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Not only have NATO member states given a remarkable amount of military aid to Ukraine. The alliance itself has grown to include Finland and will soon include Sweden, two affluent democracies that will strengthen NATO.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Tolga Bozoglu Organizations: Zuma Press, NATO Locations: Istanbul, Turkey, Vilnius, Ukraine, Finland, Sweden

☆ Blinken to meet China's Wang Yi in Jakarta - State Department
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] China's Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission Wang Yi attends during a trilateral meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Jakarta, Indonesia, July 12, 2023. REUTERS/Ajeng Dinar UlfianaJuly 12 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi on Thursday as officials gather in Indonesia for ASEAN meetings, the State Department said in announcing the latest in series of interactions between the rival superpowers. Wang is representing China at the Jakarta meetings involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and partner countries after Beijing said Foreign Minister Qin Gang would not attend due to health reasons. Blinken met Qin and Wang in Beijing last month, marking the first visit to China by a U.S. secretary of state in five years. Wang, who is the foreign policy chief for the Chinese Communist Party, ranks above Qin, who as the foreign minister is the government's foreign policy chief.

Persons: Central Foreign Affairs Commission Wang Yi, Retno Marsudi, Sergei Lavrov, Antony Blinken, Wang Yi, Wang, Qin Gang, Blinken, Qin, Janet Yellen, John Kerry, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Daniel Kritenbrink, David Brunnstrom, Simon Lewis, Dan Whitcomb, Michael Perry Organizations: Central Foreign Affairs Commission, Indonesian Foreign, Russia's, REUTERS, ASEAN, State Department, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Foreign, U.S, Treasury, Chinese Communist Party, Pentagon, NATO, senior State Department, East, Thomson Locations: Jakarta, Indonesia, China, Beijing, United States, Asia, U.S, Lithuanian, Vilnius, Pacific, East Asia

☆ Putin: foreign-made tanks are 'priority target' for Russian forces in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MOSCOW, July 13 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Western supplies of weapons to Ukraine would change nothing on the battlefield but only further escalate the conflict, adding that foreign-made tanks were a "priority target" for Moscow's forces. "The supply of new weapons will only aggravate the situation... and will further fuel the conflict," Putin said. Asked about France's decision to supply Ukraine with long-range cruise missiles which can travel 250 km (155 miles), Putin said: "Yes, they cause damage, but nothing critical happens in the war zone with their use." Putin added that foreign-made tanks were "a priority target for our guys". In his first public response to the moves, Putin reiterated Moscow's strong opposition to Ukraine ever joining NATO, saying this would threaten Russia's own strategic interests.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, Moscow's, Gareth Jones, Mark Heinrich, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: NATO, Ukraine, Reuters, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, Ukraine, Russian, Lithuanian, Vilnius, Russia, Moscow

☆ Ukraine war live updates: 'Massive' overnight strikes by Iranian drones hit Kyiv; Zelenskyy welcomes 'good result' from NATO summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

"For the first time since independence, we have formed a security foundation for Ukraine on its way to NATO," Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter. "For the first time since independence, we have formed a security foundation for Ukraine on its way to NATO," Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter. Never before have we had such a security foundation, and this is the level of the G7. Zelenskyy on Wednesday accepted this, calling it "understandable" and expressing confidence that Ukraine would join the alliance when the war is over. "Never before have the words "you are equal among equals" for Ukraine from other NATO members sounded truly meaningful," his post read.

Persons: Zelenskyy, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, — Natasha Turak Organizations: NATO, Twitter Locations: Ukraine, Vilnius, Lithuania

☆ 'I am not Amazon' and 'people want to see gratitude': UK minister's comments on Ukraine cause a stir
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Anmar Frangoul | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON — In comments that caused a stir on the sidelines of this week's major NATO summit, the U.K.'s defense secretary said he believed Ukraine's allies wanted to "see gratitude" and that his country was "not Amazon" when it came to the delivery of weapons. In Vilnius, Lithuania, Ben Wallace spoke about the military needs of Ukraine, which has been battling Russia's full-scale invasion since Feb. 2022. According to widely reported comments, Wallace said that "whether we like it or not, people want to see gratitude." "My counsel to the Ukrainians is sometimes you're persuading countries to give up their own stocks [of weapons] and yes, the war is a noble war and yes, we see it as you doing a war for not just yourself but our freedoms," Sky News quoted him as saying. "I said to the Ukrainians last year, when I drove 11 hours to [Kyiv to] be given a list — I said, 'I am not Amazon'," he went on to add.

Persons: Ben Wallace, Russia's, Wallace Organizations: NATO, Sky Locations: Vilnius, Lithuania, Ukraine, Kyiv

☆ G7's security pledges for Ukraine are a 'momentous' event, says former U.S. diplomat
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailG7's security pledges for Ukraine are a 'momentous' event, says former U.S. diplomatLew Lukens, senior partner at Signum Global Advisors and former U.S. diplomat, discusses the "two big takeaways" from the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Persons: Lew Lukens Organizations: Signum Global Advisors, NATO Locations: Ukraine, U.S, Vilnius, Lithuania

☆ Blinken to meet China's Wang Yi in Jakarta -State Department
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

☆ Matt Gaetz is back on the anti-Ukraine hamster wheel and floating the suggestion that Russia, not Ukraine, should be part of NATO so the organization can become an anti-China alliance
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Matt Gaetz thinks NATO could be better off with Russia, instead of Ukraine, as a member. "Why not extend NATO to Russia and make it an anti-China alliance?" Why not extend NATO to Russia and make it an anti-China alliance?" On February 9, Gaetz introduced a House resolution calling on the US to "end its military and financial aid to Ukraine." And Gaetz is not the only Republican lawmaker who is against US involvement in the Ukraine war.

Persons: Matt Gaetz, Gaetz, Newsmax, who's, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Greene Organizations: NATO, Biden, Service, Florida Republican, Republican, Georgia, National Defense, Gaetz, State Department Locations: Russia, Ukraine, NATO, China, Wall, Silicon, Cuba, United States, Vilnius, Lithuania

Helsinki, Finland CNN —More than 500 days after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, the war loomed over President Joe Biden’s weeklong, three-stop trip to Europe. Drama over Ukraine’s membershipUkraine was the top agenda item for NATO leaders in Vilnius, and the discussion of a pathway for the war-torn country to join the alliance prompted division among leaders. After meeting with Zelensky for more than an hour, Biden told reporters that he was able to reassure his Ukrainian counterpart. The former president raised the prospect of withdrawing from the alliance multiple times in 2018, The New York Times reported. I don’t think NATO’s ever been stronger,” Biden said during his meeting with Finland’s President Sauli Niinistö

Persons: Finland CNN —, Joe Biden’s weeklong, reasserting, Biden, Jens Stoltenberg, Ulf Kristersson, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Monday, Erdoğan, ”, Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, Donald Trump’s, Trump’s, –, ” Biden, Trump, Rishi Sunak, King Charles III, Putin, “, Stoltenberg, Wang Wenbin, Biden “, “ I’ve, Sauli Niinistö Organizations: Finland CNN, Russia, NATO, Zelensky, Vilnius University, Nordic, Senate, The New York Times, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Ministry, Microsoft, House, Lithuania, State, Government Locations: Helsinki, Finland, Russia, Ukraine, Europe, Washington, Turkey, Sweden, Ankara, Vilnius, London, Finnish, China, Beijing, Asia, Indonesia, Hiroshima

☆ What Zelensky wanted from NATO – and what he got
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —At last year’s NATO summit in Madrid, the alliance formally invited Sweden and Finland to join its ranks. But NATO membership is far more significant than military hardware, and it may be some time before Kyiv’s final wish is granted. “This means that a window of opportunity is being left to bargain Ukraine’s membership in NATO in negotiations with Russia. However, the ultimate goal of NATO membership looks likely to elude Zelensky for some time. Wallace reminded reporters Wednesday that before the summit the question of Ukraine’s NATO membership was still an “if.” Now, it’s a “when.”

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, Vladimir Putin, Zaporizhzhia –, Putin’s, ” Zelensky, Pavel Golovkin, Joe Biden, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Biden, ” “ We’re, We’re, ”, Ben Wallace, Wallace, ” Biden, Andrew Caballero, Reynolds, Dmytro Kuleba, “, Jens Stoltenberg Organizations: CNN, NATO, Kyiv, Ukraine, Sweden’s, AP, Sunday, UK, Getty, Foreign, Twitter Locations: Madrid, Sweden, Finland, Vilnius, Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Vilnius ’, Lithuania’s, United States, Russia, NATO, Zelensky, AFP, Kyiv, Vilnius –, Germany, France

☆ Vintage Zelenskiy gets less than he wanted from NATO but takes home real gains
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Tom Balmforth | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

That would mean the alliance itself would be at war, and leaders won't go that far. But by the end, after one-on-one meetings with U.S. President Joe Biden and other NATO leaders, Zelenskiy had softened his tone, describing the outcome as "good", though not "ideal". "It is very important: for the first time since independence, we have formed a security foundation for Ukraine on its way to NATO," Zelenskiy said, adding there had also been "a good reinforcement with weapons." On the summit's sidelines, Group of Seven countries unveiled an international framework to boost Ukraine's long-term security against Russia. A slew of other military packages were announced at bilateral meetings between Zelenskiy and NATO leaders.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Joe Biden, Neil Melvin, Biden, Putin, craven, Melvin, Mykhailo Podolyak, Olha Stefanishyna, Andriy Zagorodnyuk, Tom Balmforth, Sabine Siebold, Andrew Gray, Anna Dabrowska Organizations: NATO, Russia, Kyiv, U.S, Ukraine Council, London, Royal United Services Institute, Reuters, Eastern, Ukraine, Thomson Locations: Ukrainian, Vilnius, Ukraine, U.S, Russia, Kyiv, NATO, Zelenskiy, Moscow, United States, Germany, Bucharest, Reuters Ukraine

Those export controls, which "were imposed for important reasons," remain in place, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's office said in statement. "The Prime Minister discussed Sweden's accession to NATO with our partners in Vilnius, including with President Erdogan," the statement said. Ahead of the NATO summit, Turkey, already seeking assurances over the F-16s in talks with Washington, asked that Canada's export controls also be rolled in to the final discussion, the person familiar with the talks said. At Vilnius, Canada outlined its position to Turkey on rules regarding uses of any exported technologies, and was awaiting a response. This means the talks on export controls are no longer frozen, a move that helped play a role sealing Erdogan's pledge over Sweden, the person said.

Persons: Erdogan, Tayyip Erdogan's greenlight, Justin Trudeau's, Joe Biden, Devlet Bahceli, We've, Huseyin Hayatsever, Jonathan Spicer, Steve Scherer, John Irish, Tom Perry, Jamie Freed Organizations: NATO, Atlantic, Organization, Canada, Canadian, Washington, U.S, Kurdistan Workers Party, European Union, Nationalist Movement Party, Erdogan's, Thomson Locations: Turkey, Erdogan, ANKARA, Canada, Ankara, Sweden, Stockholm, Vilnius, Washington, United States, Armenia, Nagorno, Karabakh, Finland, Turkish, Ukraine, Turkey's, Helsinki, European, Istanbul, Ottawa

CNN —President Joe Biden said Thursday that Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville is being “irresponsible” and jeopardizing national security by blocking military promotions over his objections to the Defense Department’s reproductive health policies. He’s jeopardizing US security with what he’s doing,” Biden said during a news conference in Helsinki, Finland, when asked by CNN about Tuberville’s position. A defense official told CNN Austin and Tuberville eventually spoke at about 1:30 p.m. Thursday. I’m doing it for Republicans and Democrats and citizens of this country. I’m doing it for the Constitution.”CNN reported in June that some of Tuberville’s colleagues have tried to talk with him behind the scenes about alternatives.

Persons: Joe Biden, Republican Sen, Tommy Tuberville, “ I’d, ” Biden, Lloyd Austin’s, Tuberville, Austin, Brig, Pat Ryder, ” Tuberville, CNN’s Manu Raju, Biden’s, I’m, We’ll, “, Republican Party …, they’ve, ”, Raju, I’ve, that’s, Republican Roger Wicker, Texas Sen, John Cornyn, Sen, Joni Ernst, CNN’s Wolf, ” Austin, CNN’s Wolf Blitzer Organizations: CNN, Republican, Defense, Alabama, CNN Austin, Pentagon, Joint Chiefs, Staff, Marine Corps, Republican Party, Republicans, Democrats, ” CNN, Armed Services Committee, Iowa, Senate Armed Services Committee, NATO Locations: Helsinki, Finland, Texas, Vilnius, Lithuania, “

☆ Biden jokes that if he were Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin he would be 'careful what I ate'
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Biden made light of the situation that Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin now finds himself in. "If I were he, I would be careful what I ate," Biden saidGet the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in business, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley — delivered daily. I don't know, I don't think any of us know for certain what the future of Prigozhin is in Russia," he said. "So, I don't know how to answer that question beyond that." "There is no possibility of him winning the war in Ukraine," Biden said during the news conference in Helsinki alongside Finnish President Sauli Niinistö.

Persons: Biden, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, Joe Biden, We're, Prigozhin's, Putin, it's, Prigozhin's Wagner, Sergei Shoigu's, Sauli Niinistö Organizations: Service, Kremlin, Prigozhin, Russia's Defence, NATO, Ukraine, Finnish Locations: Wall, Silicon, Russia, Ukraine, Vilnius, Lithuania, Helsinki

☆ Scenes from the NATO summit in Lithuania
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Jillian Kumagai | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and his wife Olena Zelenska walk on the day of a ceremony during which a Ukrainian flag from the frontline of the war with Russia was delivered by activists, on the sidelines of a NATO leaders summit in...moreUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and his wife Olena Zelenska walk on the day of a ceremony during which a Ukrainian flag from the frontline of the war with Russia was delivered by activists, on the sidelines of a NATO leaders summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, July 11. REUTERS/Kacper PempelClose

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Olena, Pempel Organizations: NATO, REUTERS Locations: Ukrainian, Russia, Vilnius, Lithuania

WASHINGTON, July 12 (Reuters) - Democratic and Republic senators renewed an effort to block any U.S. president from leaving NATO on Wednesday, as leaders of the alliance attended an eventful summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. The joint resolution, seen by Reuters, is a fresh effort by Congress to prevent the president from withdrawing from the alliance without the Senate's approval. Lead sponsors include Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees, and Republican Senator Marco Rubio, vice chairman of the intelligence committee, who is also a senior member of the foreign relations panel. The current president, Democrat Joe Biden, has been a strong supporter of NATO, backing its expansion and working with other members, especially on the response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He is expected to celebrate its unity over Ukraine in a speech at the Vilnius summit on Wednesday.

Persons: Tim Kaine, Marco Rubio, Donald Trump, Kaine, Joe Biden, Patricia Zengerle, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Democratic, NATO, Reuters, Atlantic Treaty, Congress, Foreign Relations, Armed Services, Republican, Thomson Locations: Vilnius, Lithuania, United States, Atlantic, Washington, DC, Ukraine, Kyiv

UK Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace said NATO countries "are struggling to find ways" to keep ammunition supplied to Ukraine as Russia's full-scale invasion continues past 500 days. "Huge amounts of munitions are being fired and used," he said at a panel during the NATO summit In Vilnius, Lithuania. Wallace told CNN on Wednesday that because of the shortages, he understands why the US opted to provide controversial cluster munitions to Ukraine in an attempt to fill the gap. But, he added, “we've signed the treaty, we feel that we can't champion the use of (cluster munitions). Wallace also said a big specific challenge they see with Ukraine is its ability to shut down runways being used by Russian planes.

Persons: Ben Wallace, Wallace, ”, ” Wallace, “ we've, Joe Biden, Biden, Jake Sullivan Organizations: NATO, CNN Locations: Ukraine, Vilnius, Lithuania, United States

☆ Analysis: Biden got almost everything he wanted from the NATO summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

CNN —President Joe Biden got almost everything he wanted from the NATO summit. President Joe Biden speaks at Vilnius University in Vilnius, Lithuania, Wednesday, July 12, 2023, after attending the NATO Summit. On Wednesday for instance, Russia marked the NATO summit by launching airstrikes against Kyiv region. US President Joe Biden (R) attends a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Vilnius on July 12, 2023. That President Biden and NATO didn’t invite Ukraine to NATO because he’s afraid of Russia?” Kaleniuk asked.

Persons: Joe Biden, Volodymyr Zelensky, craves, “ It’s, ” Biden, Zelensky, Biden, “, ” Zelensky, Russia –, Putin, NATO’s, craven, Susan Walsh, –, Donald Trump, Mike Pence, Vladimir Putin, Jeff Flake, Fumio Kishida, barnstormed, ANDREW CABALLERO, REYNOLDS, Andrew Caballero, Reynolds, Jake Sullivan, Daria Kaleniuk, ” Kaleniuk, Sullivan, Dmitry Peskov, Ukraine –, William Burns, he’d, ” Organizations: CNN, NATO, Poignantly, Russia, Congress, Nordic, Biden, Vilnius University, Ukraine, Capitol, Republican, Japanese, GOP, ” Ukraine, AFP, Getty, “, NATO didn’t, Kremlin, CIA Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Soviet, Europe, Sweden, Finland, Kyiv, Lithuania, Vilnius, Western, Crimea, US, Ankara, Turkey, AFP, Ukrainian, NATO, Moscow, Russian

☆ Ukraine war live updates: G7 to announce security guarantees for Ukraine; Kremlin 'struck' by speed of Sweden, Finland NATO accession
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

G7 nations are expected to announce a framework guaranteeing Ukraine's long-term security on Wednesday, bloc member London said in an emailed statement. "The joint declaration, expected to be signed by all members of the G7, will set out how allies will support Ukraine over the coming years to end the war and deter and respond to any future attack," Downing Street said. "As Ukraine makes strategic progress in their counteroffensive, and the degradation of Russian forces begins to infect Putin's front line, we are stepping up our formal arrangements to protect Ukraine for the long term," British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said. He is currently attending a July 11-12 NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, where members of the defense alliance have set aid to Ukraine at the top of the agenda. "Supporting their progress on the pathway to NATO membership, coupled with formal, multilateral, and bilateral agreements and the overwhelming support of NATO members will send a strong signal to President Putin and return peace to Europe," Sunak said.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Putin, Sunak, — Organizations: London, NATO Locations: Ukraine, Vilnius, Lithuania, Europe

☆ Despite Successes at NATO Summit, Divisions Remain
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Steven Erlanger | More About Steven Erlanger | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

VILNIUS, Lithuania — NATO had some significant successes at its summit that ended Wednesday as it worked hard to project unity in support of Ukraine’s bloody defense against Russia’s invasion. And all 31 member states agreed that Ukraine belongs in NATO, a significant shift stemming from its brave, resilient defense of its country and of Western values. Even so, the summit’s final communiqué, with its ambiguous diplomatic language, does not disguise some serious strains among alliance members in the bitter fight over how to describe Ukraine’s path toward NATO membership. Ukraine was promised an invitation “when allies agree and conditions are met,” leaving both the timing and the conditions safely unsaid. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine and his most vocal Central European supporters wanted more, and made it loud and clear.

Persons: ”, Volodymyr Zelensky Organizations: Lithuania — NATO, Kyiv, NATO, Ukraine, Central Locations: VILNIUS, Lithuania, Turkey, Ukraine

☆ Turkey eyes recalibration with the West as Russia’s isolation grows
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Zeena Saifi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

His delicate balancing act has given Turkey a unique position of being the only NATO nation whose ear Russia has. “By backing Sweden’s NATO bid…Ankara is signaling a recalibration in ties with the West, which have been strained for a while now,” said Memet Celik, editorial coordinator for the pro-government Daily Sabah newspaper. “In a larger sense, Russia’s unjustified war against Ukraine reminded the West of the importance of geography, hard military power, and alliance commitments – and thus the value of Turkey,” he said. Turkey, however, is likely to continue to be relevant to both Russia and the West. “Due to proximity, power, and relations with both Kyiv and Moscow, Turkey will be a key player in conflict resolution and whatever peace deal ultimately emerges,” said Outzen.

Persons: CNN —, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, ”, Memet Celik, Joe Biden, Washington, Biden, Tuesday’s, ” Erdogan, Rich Outzen, –, “, ” Viktor Bondarev, Volodymyr Zelensky, Russia’s ‘, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, Putin’s, Outzen, Russia’s “, Ukraine ”, Sinan Ulgen, Erdogan’s, Russia aren’t Organizations: CNN, Nordic, European Union, NATO, …, Daily, West, White House, Atlantic Council, Ukraine, “, Ankara, Russia’s Federation, Committee, Defense, Security, Putin, Kyiv Locations: NATO, Russia, Moscow, Ukraine, Turkey, Turkish, … Ankara, Daily Sabah, Vilnius, Lithuania, Ankara, “, “ Ankara, Istanbul, “ Turkey, Celik

☆ White House takes a victory lap after inflation report comes in cooler than expected
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Emma Kinery | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Wednesday celebrated new data that showed inflation cooling more quickly than expected. "Good jobs and lower costs: That's Bidenomics in action," Biden said in a statement. Year over year, inflation rose 3%, the lowest level in more than two years. Core CPI, which does not include food and energy costs, rose 4.8% from a year ago and 0.2% on a monthly basis. "Our progress creating jobs while lowering costs for families is no accident, and I will continue to fight for lower costs for families every day."

Persons: Joe Biden, Volodymyr Zelensky, Biden, Lael Brainard, " Brainard Organizations: NATO, WASHINGTON, Wednesday, Labor Statistics, CPI, Economic, of New Locations: Vilnius, of New York, U.S, United States

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