Zelensky arrives in Vilnius for NATO summit.

President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 11 afternoon to participate in the NATO summit, Zelensky's spokesperson Serhii Nykyforov told reporters, as cited [1] by Suspilne. Zelensky is reportedly heading to the city's square to participate in a ceremony of raising the Ukrainian flag. Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov arrived in the Lithuanian capital with Zelensky, according to Suspilne news outlet.

The two-day Vilnius summit of the North Atlantic Alliance started earlier on the day with opening remarks [2] by Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. He pledged that NATO allies would make a "strong decision" on Ukraine's membership bid and confirm it would join the alliance. On July 10, Ukraine's president informed [3] of his plans to join the allies in Vilnius, announcing bilateral talks with the U.S., Canada, Japan, and several European countries.

Zelensky is also scheduled to join the inaugural meeting of the new NATO-Ukraine Council and hold a joint press conference with Stoltenberg following a bilateral meeting on July 12. Ukraine applied to join NATO in September 2022. While acknowledging the country cannot enter the alliance before the war's end, Kyiv has repeatedly called for a "clear signal" on the membership from the allies during the upcoming summit.

Stoltenberg says Vilnius summit will agree on 3-part package 'to bring Ukraine closer to NATO'

NATO member states are expected to adopt a three-part package "to bring Ukraine closer" to the alliance during its next summit in Vilnius, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on July 7.