NATO

The main focus of the two-day Summit is Ukraine's membership which Volodymyr Zelensky has been pushing for months amid the ongoing war. But all NATO members agree that Ukraine cannot join the bloc during the war amid fears this would lead to a direct conflict with a nuclear-armed Russia, the BBC reported.

Taking to Twitter late Monday night, Stoltenberg said: "Glad to announce that after the meeting I hosted with (Turkish President Recep Tayyip) Erdogan & Swedish PM (Ulf Kristersson), President Erdogan has agreed to forward Sweden's accession protocol to the Grand National Assembly ASAP & ensure ratification. 

Earlier on Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on the European Union to resume the long-stalled membership talks with Ankara, in exchange for a green light from Turkey to Sweden's NATO bid, Xinhua news agency reported. On Sunday, The Turkish President held a phone conversation with his US counterpart Joe Biden to also discuss Sweden's NATO bid.

In a CNN interview on Sunday night, the President said that although talks of granting Kiev a NATO membership was "premature", the US and its allies in the military allinace will continue to provide Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his forces the security and weaponry they need to try to end the war with Russia.

The two leaders also discussed Ukraine's position in NATO, the delivery of F-16 fighter jets and Turkey's efforts to join the EU, according to a statement by Erdogan's office released on Sunday. During the phone call, Erdogan noted "Sweden has taken some steps in the right direction" toward the ratification of its NATO bid by making changes in its anti-terrorism legislation, said the statement.

"I expect that our leaders will once again confirm that Ukraine will become a member of NATO and agree on how to bring Ukraine closer to achieving its goal," Stoltenberg said at a press conference here late Friday. He said that the NATO aims to adopt three regional defence plans at the summit from July 11-12, reports Xinhua news agency.

The decision will be endorsed by NATO Heads of State and Government at the Vilnius Summit, an official statement said on Tuesday.Allies thanked the Secretary-General for his leadership and commitment, which has been critical to preserving transatlantic unity.

"After the NATO summit, we will discuss Ukraine's aspirations for NATO membership. And I am absolutely sure that the allies will send a very strong message of support to Ukraine," Stoltenberg was cited as saying on Thursday. All allies agree that NATO's door is open and Ukraine will become a member of the alliance, the Secretary General added.

A legislation moved by a bipartisan group of members of the House of Representatives Monday to add India to a list of countries whose military purchase orders in government-to-government deals enjoy expedited clearance did not mention the phrase “NATO Plus” even once.

Senator Mark Warner, a Democrat who chairs the India Caucus in the Senate, said on Tuesday that he and Senator John Cornyn, the Republican co-chair, will be introducing "both as a stand-alone bill and as an amendment to the (National) Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) and effort to upgrade India-US defence ties".