Biden NATO Speech Underway Shortly

12:45 ET 17:45 BST: US President Joe Biden is scheduled to begin his major speech to close the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania shortly.

• Livestream: https://www.whitehouse.gov/live/
• The summit has been a broadly successful for Biden. Last minute negotiations with Turkish officials appears to have convinced Turkish President Recep Erdogan to support Sweden's accession to the alliance. A Turkish pivot back to the West would be a major foreign policy victory for Biden.
• The US has also convinced hawkish NATO members and Ukraine to accept a less than desired NATO membership plan without a clear roadmap or timeframe.
• Biden's speech is likely to expand on bilateral security assurances that the US will put in place to deter further Russian aggression whilst Ukraine's NATO membership remains pending. Biden will also provides details on the next significant military aid package, which may include ATACM long-range missiles for the first time.
• Biden will also deliver his speech with one eye on a domestic audience which is slightly more sceptical on the long-term benefits of supporting Ukraine.
• The White House will be hoping that Biden's assurance in Europe can translate into improved polling numbers at home.