Biden, NATO chief meet in Washington ahead of NATO summit.

President Biden met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Washington on June 13 ahead of a major NATO alliance meeting next month in Lithuania. NATO's 31 member states will meet in Vilnius to face a number of issues, including potential security guarantees for Ukraine, Sweden's entrance into the alliance, and Stoltenberg's possible successor. During the meeting, Biden reemphasized the U.S.'s commitment to defending any NATO country that comes under attack.

"We've strengthened NATO's eastern flank, made it clear we'll defend every inch of NATO territory," Biden said. "The commitment of the United States to NATO's Article 5 is rock solid. And at our summit in Lithuania next month, we're going to be building on that momentum." Ukraine's accession into the NATO alliance has become a topic of contention over the last few months.

General Stoltenberg said in April that all members have agreed[1] that Ukraine will eventually join the alliance when the war is over. However, earlier this month, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated[2] that there  is "no point" in attending the Vilnius meeting unless the alliance offers a membership invitation or "some kind of signal." Allied air forces recently participated[3] in  the largest military air exercises in NATO's history in Germany on June 12.

Ukraine war latest: Russian missile attack on Kryvyi Rih kills 11, injures 36

Key Developments on June 13: * Russian missile attack on Kryvyi Rih kills 11, injures 36 * US, UK announce major defense packages for Ukraine * Stoltenberg says Ukraine already making gains in counteroffensive * Fourteen EU member states provide aid to Ukraine following Kakhovka dam disaster *...

Rachel Amran is a news reporter at the Kyiv Independent.

She previously worked on the Europe and Central Asia team of Human Rights Watch investigating war crimes in Ukraine.

Rachel holds a master's degree in Russian, Eastern European, and Eurasian Regional Studies from Columbia University.

References

1. ^ have agreed (www.theguardian.com)
2. ^ stated (kyivindependent.com)
3. ^ participated (kyivindependent.com)
4. ^ Ukraine war latest: Russian missile attack on Kryvyi Rih kills 11, injures 36Key Developments on June 13: * Russian missile attack on Kryvyi Rih kills 11, injures 36 * US, UK announce major defense packages for Ukraine * Stoltenberg says Ukraine already making gains in counteroffensive * Fourteen EU member states provide aid to Ukraine following Kakhovka dam disaster *... (kyivindependent.com)