Stoltenberg: Ukraine's Future Is In NATO

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is delivering a press conference ahead of today's meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs. Livestream: LINK

• Stoltenberg cautioned that its too early to make a judgement on Ukraine's counteroffensive: "It is still early days in Ukraine’s counter-offensive... We do not know if this will be a turning point in the war," but added, "Ukrainians are making advances and liberating more land."
• On Ukraine's future, Stoltenberg said, "NATO’s Vilnius summit [July 12-14] will make clear that Ukraine’s future is in NATO [...] We must ensure that when this war ends there are credible arrangements in place to ensure Ukraine’s security."
• The US, in particular, has been under increasing pressure from European allies to outline a clear pathway for Ukraine's accession to NATO. The NYT reports that NATO hawks, "want to provide Ukraine with a strong political commitment on membership ahead of [the NATO summit]."
• As well as a clearer picture of Ukraine's NATO prospects, the Vilnius Summit is expected to deliver a comprehensive review of defence production to address shortfalls and expedite the flow of munitions into Ukraine.