July 10, 2023 - Russia-Ukraine news

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Top Swedish officials on Monday applauded Turkey’s decision to endorse their country’s NATO bid.?

?“We have tonight after some negotiations in Vilnius reached an agreement with Türkiye on Sweden’s membership in NATO, which means that ratification will now commence,” Foreign Affairs Minister Tobias Billstr?m said in a tweet.

Sweden’s mission to NATO also celebrated the announcement, made on the eve of a highly anticipated summit of alliance leaders in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Menendez is seen during a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing in Washington, DC, in May.

US Sen. Robert Menendez, Senate Foreign Relations chair, still opposes the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, even after the country announced Monday that it’s dropping opposition to?Sweden’s bid to enter the NATO alliance.?

Menendez has had a long-standing opposition to selling the jets to Turkey, citing the autocratic leadership of President Recip Tayyib Erdogan. In January, CNN reported that the New Jersey Democrat said, “Until Erdogan ceases his threats, improves his human rights record at home — including by releasing journalists and political opposition — and begins to act like a trusted ally should, I will not approve this sale.”

Menendez said he could come to a conclusion on the possible sale of F-16s “in the next week.”?

More background: Weapons sales are approved by Congress, and once the administration?formally informs Congress it intends?to sell arms, lawmakers have 30 days to block the deal, which they can do by passing a joint resolution of disapproval.

Meanwhile, Menendez’s fellow Democrat, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, said that Turkey’s decision to drop its opposition to Sweden’s entry was “great news for the West.”

“It strengthens the Western alliance significantly, and it shows Mr. Putin that the West is strong, united, and growing stronger against his aggression in Ukraine. Any thought that the West is giving up, any thought that the West is divided, is shown to be false by today’s development of Sweden joining NATO and of Turkey relenting,” he said.

Turkey has agreed to back Sweden’s NATO bid, the alliance’s chief Jens Stoltenberg announced on Monday, one day before leaders are set to meet for a summit in Lithuania.

Stoltenberg and other world leaders have expressed their support for the agreement, saying that Sweden joining NATO is good for the alliance and for security.

Here’s what to know:

The mother of the donor — a 4-year-old boy — visits the 6-year-old girl who received his heart.

Amid?the raging war and constant threat of Russian missiles, a successful heart transplant has been performed on a patient just 6-years-old — a girl who received the heart of a 4-year-old boy, authorities?with the Heart Institute of Ukraine’s Ministry of Health?announced on Monday.?

The 6-year-old girl, who is a patient at the?Heart Institute in Kyiv, was on the waiting list for a donor. She?received?the?heart?of the?boy,?whom doctors had declared brain dead after suffering a brain aneurysm, the Heart Institute said.

Ukrainian doctors operate on a 6-year-old girl who needed a new heart. The operation lasted for about three hours.

Doctors began preparing for the heart transplant after securing the permission of the boy’s parents.?The operation took place on Sunday evening and lasted for about three hours, the?Heart Institute said.?

The Heart Institute said it was the first time in Ukraine that a heart transplant on children so young had been performed.

The transplant was performed by a team of doctors led by?Dr.?Boris Todurov,?chief scientist of the Department of Surgical and Minimally Invasive Treatment.?He worked alongside 18 other staff members during the operation.??

“The operation went smoothly, the girl was extubated two hours after the operation,” Todurov said in a post on his official Facebook page.?

The?Heart Institute?also released images from the operation and a picture of the girl recovering after surgery.?The picture of the girl after surgery also shows the mother of the boy standing next to her hospital bed, the?Heart Institute?said.??

Three more?of the boy’s?organs — two kidneys and a liver — were transplanted to two other children at another hospital in Kyiv, the?National Children’s Hospital “Ohmatdyt.”?The two?kidneys were transplanted to a 12-year-old boy from the occupied part of Kherson region. “He had been waiting for a transplant for more than 3 years and lived at the Ohmatdyt,” the hospital said in a Facebook post. A liver was transplanted to a 15-year-old boy from the Kirovohrad region, it added.?

Postmortem transplants would not be possible without the relatives of donors making the decision “to save the lives of people they do not know after losing a loved one,”?Dmytrieva said. “This is the noblest manifestation of humanity. Especially when it comes to the loss of a child.”

Since the beginning of 2023, 23 heart transplants have been performed for both children and adult patients,?the Heart Institute?said.?

Cardiovascular?surgeries during wartime: If an operation is already underway and air raid systems are activated, the operation cannot be interrupted and will continue even if there is an attack on the city, the?Heart Institute?told CNN on Monday.?

If the operation hasn’t started, the team of doctors and the patient wait for the air raid?sirens?to stop?and only then?do they?begin the operation.?

More than 1,000 major companies pledged to leave Russia after Vladimir Putin launched his war in Ukraine, but some well-known firms stand accused by researchers of violating their pledge.

For the companies that did leave, the unprecedented corporate exodus, championed and chronicled by Yale professor Jeff Sonnenfeld, dealt a serious financial and symbolic blow to Moscow and the Russian economy.

Now, as Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine exceeds the 500-day mark, Sonnenfeld and his team are naming and shaming a slew of companies they accuse of breaking their promises to leave or at least drastically scale back their presence in Russia, including well-known companies like Heineken, Unilever, Philip Morris and Oreo-maker Mondelez.

The Yale research, shared exclusively with CNN, is based on whistleblowers, on-the-ground experts, students operating inside Russia, corporate documents and news media reports.

“These companies are breaking their promises. They are functioning as wartime profiteers,” Sonnenfeld told CNN in an interview. “It’s beyond disappointing. It’s shameful and unethical.”

The “poster child” for this problem is the popular Dutch brewing giant Heineken, Sonnenfeld said.

In March 2022, just one month after the invasion of Ukraine, Heineken won praise for promising to leave Russia. However, 16 months later Heineken still has seven breweries and 1,800 employees in Russia, according to Yale. Not only that, but Heineken has since launched a series of new brands in Russia, gobbling up market share caused by the exodus of other major beer brands.

“They are not pulling out. They are doubling down,” said Steven Tian, director of research at the Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute.

In March 2022, snack and candy giant Mondelez promised to scale back “all non-essential activities in Russia while helping maintain continuity of the food supply.” Mondelez said it would focus its operation on “basic offerings.”

However, Mondelez — the company behind Oreo cookies, Triscuit crackers and Nabisco snacks, says it still employs 3,000 people in Russia.?

Find out what other brands are on the list here.

A frame from a video shows rescue workers at a damaged building after a drone strike, in?Sumy,?Ukraine, on July 3.

Residents of Ukraine’s Sumy region will not be forced to evacuate amid increased Russian shelling, said Volodymyr Artiukh, head of the Sumy regional military administration.

Artiukh cautioned those who wish to remain.

“People should just be aware that if they stay in the ‘death zone,’ which is the only way to describe this area, they are taking responsibility for their lives,” Artiukh said.?

Earlier, the regional military administration said it would order the evacuation of areas near the Russian border.

Two leading liberal US senators voiced concerns on Monday over President Joe Biden’s decision to transfer cluster munitions to Ukraine.

“I am deeply concerned about the use of a weapon that has such terrible long-term consequences for civilians,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren told CNN.

Sen. Bernie Sanders also said he had “concerns” about the president’s move.

More background: Cluster munitions scatter “bomblets” across large areas that can fail to explode on impact and can pose a long-term risk to anyone who encounters them, similar to landmines. Over 100 countries, including the UK, France and Germany, have outlawed the munitions under the Convention on Cluster Munitions, but the US and Ukraine are not signatories to the ban.

CNN’s Natasha Bertrand?and?Haley Britzky contributed to this report.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meets with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul, Turkey on July 07.

A Russian defense official told Russian state media that Turkey is turning into an “unfriendly country” after a series of “provocative decisions.”

“The events of the past weeks, unfortunately, clearly demonstrate that Turkey is gradually and steadily continuing to turn from a neutral country into an unfriendly one,” Viktor Bondarev, the head of the Russian Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security, told state media TASS.

The series of “provocative decisions” came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Turkey on Friday, he said, pointing to Ankara endorsing Ukraine’s NATO bid and releasing Azovstal leaders, despite an agreement about them staying in Turkey until the end of the war.?

Zelensky said on Saturday that five men, part of the Azovstal defense which defended Mariupol following Russia’s invasion in February 2022, would return back to Ukraine from Turkey. The five Ukrainian soldiers surrendered following the fall of Mariupol.

After their release from Russian captivity, they were taken to Turkey as part of a prisoner swap back in September where they were obliged to stay until the end of the war, according to the terms of the swap.

“Such behavior could not be called anything other than a stab in the back,” he said, calling the “unfriendly step” a result of pressure from NATO.

Bondarev said that the only reason NATO needs Turkey is “to control the Black Sea straits and stabilize or destabilize the Middle East region,” and said Turkey should think about “leaving NATO and creating an alliance with Russia.”?

Sweden fully supports Turkey’s entry process into the European Union, state-run news agency Anadolu reported — citing a top Turkish official late Monday.?

This comes as NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg announced that Turkey had agreed to back Sweden’s NATO bid on Monday, with a statement from the alliance outlining that Stockholm would “actively support” efforts to reinvigorate Turkey’s accession process to the European Union.?

Earlier, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters that Sweden’s membership of NATO should be linked to Turkey’s membership of the EU, arguing, “Turkey has been waiting at the gate of the European Union for over 50 years now,” and “almost all NATO member countries are European member countries.”

More background: Turkey’s EU membership bid has been on hold since 2016 — when an attempted coup failed to remove Erdogan from power. Erdogan has since tightened his grip on power through constitutional reforms that have prompted concerns from the EU on human rights and legal grounds.?

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg answers questions during a press conference on July 10.

Turkey’s agreement to allow Sweden to become a member of NATO has been in the works since last year, the alliance chief said.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the move was not a result of “new negotiation” and that the agreement “builds on what we agreed a year ago in Madrid.”

Stoltenberg went on to say that discussions between both nations have been able to address each of their concerns and find “common ground.”

“What we have seen is that we have been able to reconcile the concerns that Turkey has expressed and with the concerns that Sweden has expressed, and then we have been able to find a joint ground, a common ground and move forward based on that,” he said.?

Sweden joining NATO is good for the alliance, the NATO chief said, adding that “this is in the security interest of all of us.”

Asked when Sweden can be expected to officially become a NATO member, Stoltenberg showed himself unwilling to commit to an answer, saying that it was up to Turkey to make an announcement, and preferred to focus on the merits of a “historic day.”?

US President Joe Biden waves as he arrives in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Monday, July 10.

US President Joe Biden will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the NATO summit on Wednesday, an official familiar with the meeting confirms.?

The meeting will be one sign of unity as Zelensky’s attendance at the summit had been in question. Russia’s war in Ukraine is among the top agenda items for NATO leaders gathering in Vilnius, Lithuania, along with discussing a future pathway for the war-torn country to join the alliance, which has prompted some division among leaders.?

Biden poured cold water on the prospect of Ukraine joining NATO as the war is ongoing and cited reforms the country would still need to make to join the alliance.?

Zelensky had previously said he does not plan on attending the summit “for fun” as he seeks a clearer pathway for his country to join the alliance along with security guarantees.?

“It would be an important message to say that NATO is not afraid of Russia. Ukraine should get clear security guarantees while it is not in NATO. Only under these conditions, our meeting would be meaningful, otherwise, it’s just another politics,” Zelensky said in an interview with ABC.?

As NATO leaders prepare for a key summit in Lithuania on Tuesday, Turkey has agreed to back Sweden’s bid to join NATO, alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday. Hours earlier, Turkey’s President?Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Brussels should clear the path for Ankara’s EU accession before it approved Sweden’s bid.

Catch up on other key headlines:

US President Joe Biden leaves 10 Downing Street after a meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in London on July 10.

US President Joe Biden welcomed Turkey’s decision to support Sweden’s ascension to NATO on Monday, saying he stood “ready to work with President (?Recep Tayyip) Erdo?an and Turkey on enhancing defense and deterrence in the Euro-Atlantic area.”

“I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister (Ulf) Kristersson and Sweden as our 32nd NATO Ally,” Biden said in a statement shortly after the announcement.

The US president also thanked NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg for his leadership.? As CNN previously reported, Stoltenberg said that Turkey has agreed to back Sweden’s bid to join the military alliance.??

British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly also welcomed the move, saying in a tweet that Sweden’s membership to NATO is “in everyone’s interest.”

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, whose country joined NATO in April, said that “Finland’s NATO membership is not complete without that of Sweden.”

“Now we are one clear step closer to completion. With Sweden, the whole Alliance will be stronger,” Niinisto said in a tweet.

Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, called it a “historic step.”

President of Lithuania Gitanas Naus?da said in a tweet that the agreement will significantly strengthen the Baltic sea region and the entire Alliance, adding that the allied countries are united and strong. The NATO summit is being held in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Some context: The announcement came on the eve of NATO’s summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, and represents a stunning about-face from Erdogan, who had earlier on Monday suggested Sweden could only join the alliance after his country is accepted into the European Union.

Erdogan has stood in the path of Sweden joining NATO for more than a year over a multitude of concerns.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meets with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 10.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday that Turkey has agreed to back Sweden’s bid to join the military alliance.?

“Glad to announce that after the meeting I hosted with?@RTErdogan?&?@SwedishPM, President Erdogan has agreed to forward?#Sweden’s accession protocol to the Grand National Assembly ASAP & ensure ratification. This is an historic step which makes all?#NATO?Allies stronger & safer,” Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in a?tweet?after a meeting in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius.??

Sweden will “actively support” efforts to reinvigorate Turkey’s accession process to the European Union, NATO said in a?statement?after the meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Stoltenberg.

Allowing Sweden into the alliance “benefits the security of all NATO allies at this critical time,” Stoltenberg said at a news conference.

Erdogan earlier on Monday asked for Brussels to clear Turkey’s path into EU membership before approving Sweden’s NATO membership.??

“Since the last NATO Summit, Sweden and Türkiye have worked closely together to address Türkiye’s legitimate security concerns. As part of that process, Sweden has amended its constitution, changed its laws, significantly expanded its counter-terrorism cooperation against the PKK, and resumed arms exports to Türkiye, all steps set out in the Trilateral Memorandum agreed in 2022,” the NATO statement read.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US President Joe Biden walk during a meeting at the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, in November 2022.

NATO leaders meet in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius on Tuesday, with two big issues on the agenda: Sweden’s membership to the US-led alliance and providing a smooth path into the group for Ukraine. But comments from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US President Joe Biden have diverted the attention from both of these key issues.

On Monday morning, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters that Sweden’s membership of NATO should be linked to Turkey’s membership of the European Union.

Turkey’s EU membership bid has been on hold since 2016, when an attempted coup failed to remove Erdogan from power. Erdogan has since tightened his grip on power through constitutional reforms that have prompted concerns from the EU on human rights and legal grounds.?The official position in Brussels?now is that Turkey would not meet the official criteria to join the bloc.

The Turkish president has been on the West’s naughty step for a number of years. His relationship with Putin has been a problem for many Western allies, whether it be his cooperation with Russia in Syria or painting himself as the key negotiator between the West and the Kremlin on Ukraine. Sweden provides Erdogan with some rare leverage.

It is therefore a headache, but not a huge shock, that Erdogan is using a key international summit to play his best hand. And for what it’s worth, Swedish officials are still confident the deal will be done.

The second headache for NATO comes in?US President Joe Biden’s comments to CNN?this weekend that Ukraine should not join the alliance until the war is over. Multiple NATO officials told CNN on Monday that these comments were regrettable as they have allowed the conversation to shift from all the good things the alliance has done and will do for Ukraine, to a largely irrelevant conversation about immediate membership.

Both of these issues might be distractions from the main parts of the summit, but Western officials know that distractions that can be spun to make the West look disunited will be welcomed in Russia at the moment.

Read more here.

The death toll in the?Orikhiv?school attack in Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia region has risen to at least seven after three bodies were pulled from the rubble on Monday, Ukraine’s?State Emergency Service said in an evening update.?

Search operations have now been completed, the emergency service said.?

Russia’s deadly bombing Sunday of the school where civilians were receiving humanitarian aid is a “war crime,” according to police in the Zaporizhzhia region.

A “guided aerial bomb” was used in the attack, officials claimed. Those killed range in age from 43 to 47,?and the injured have been hospitalized with varying degrees of severity, he said.

CNN’s Olga Voitovych and Alex Stambaugh?contributed reporting to this post.

From left, Turkish Recep Tayyip Erdogan, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson meet in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Monday, July 10.

The United States does not believe Turkey’s quest for admission into the European Union should impede Sweden’s accession to NATO, the State Department said Monday.

“The United States has for a number of years supported Turkey’s EU aspirations, and we continue to do so,” said State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, adding that it was ultimately up to the EU and Turkey.

“However, we do not believe that it should be an impediment to Sweden’s accession to NATO,” he said.

Miller said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken “made that point” in his conversations with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan over the past several days. The two have spoken three times in five days.??

What Turkey is saying: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan tied the two issues together in public comments on Monday — just a day before the start of the NATO summit, adding another obstacle for Sweden’s accession to the alliance.

“First, let’s clear Turkey’s way in the European Union, then let’s clear the way for Sweden, just as we paved the way for Finland,” Erdogan said.

In this handout image from the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration, debris from destroyed buildings is strewn along the ground after a Russian airstrike in Orikhiv on July 10.

At least five people have died and nearly a dozen others have been injured as a result of a Russian attack on a school building Sunday in the?Ukrainian city of?Orikhiv?in?Zaporizhzhia?region in the southeast,?the head of the region’s military administration said in a Monday update.?

The death toll rose to five after another body was pulled from the rubble by rescuers, Yurii Malashko said.?

“Just as we were clearing the rubble, we had another shelling of Orikhiv, and a guided aerial bomb was dropped near the place where the rubble is being cleared,”?the official said in the update.

Another person was wounded by this latest shelling, he added.

Ukrainian emergency crews work at the scene of a Russian airstrike in Orikhiv on July 10.

Rescue efforts are continuing in?the Ukrainian city of?Orikhiv?in?Zaporizhzhia?region?on Monday, as emergency teams are trying to find more people trapped in the rubble of a building destroyed by a Russian airstrike on Sunday, Ukraine’s?State Emergency Service said in a statement.?

Three people are “likely” still trapped under the rubble, the service said.?

At least four people were killed and 11 others were injured in the Russian bombing of?a school, where civilians were receiving humanitarian aid, ?according to?Yurii Malashko, head of the Zaporizhzhia region military administration.?

Zaporizhzhia police have?described the attack as a “war crime.”

Ukrainian authorities?have launched an investigation into the deaths of two civilians in the eastern Donetsk region Monday who died as a result of Russian shelling on civilian infrastructure,?Ukraine’s?Prosecutor General’s Office said in a statement.?

“A pre-trial investigation in criminal proceedings over violation of the laws and customs of war” is being conducted under the supervision of regional prosecutors, the statement reads.?

According to the investigation, around 2:40 p.m. local time Monday, Russian troops opened fire on civilian areas in the village of Hostre, the Prosecutor General’s Office said.?A local resident died as a result of the shelling and three elderly men sustained mine-blast injuries.?

At around 3 p.m. local time, Russian forces shelled the city of Avdiivka, “killing a man in his own home,”?the Prosecutor General’s Office said.?

“According to preliminary information, the occupiers attacked the settlements with artillery. Private households and outbuildings were damaged,” reads the statement.?

An emergency team from the eastern Ukrainian city of Kostyantynivka in the Donetsk region came under Russian shelling while extinguishing a fire in the area, Ukraine’s?State Emergency Service said Monday in a Telegram statement.?

The emergency service also shared a dramatic video of the incident, which took place last week. The video shows rescuers trying to put out a fire in an open area when suddenly they hear incoming shelling. They try to take cover, quickly pack their equipment and run to their fire truck before leaving the area.??

“The video clearly demonstrates the conditions in which rescuers in Donetsk region are currently working.?A regular, seemingly standard call to a fire, and as soon as the rescuers started to extinguish it, they began to receive targeted enemy fire,” reads the statement.?

“Fortunately, none of the rescuers were injured,” it adds.

Neighbors Nina (left) and Valentina (right) take advantage of the summer sun to take a break from long cold nights spent sheltering in the basement.

It’s midday in the frontline town of Siversk, eastern Ukraine. On a street corner, Olha is standing in a midi dress with short lace sleeves waiting for a bread delivery.

Her purple nail polish matches with the pink eyeshadow framing her green eyes. “I like to dress up,” the 78-year-old former council woman and retired teacher says. She points to the chipped color on her manicured nails, adding: “The problem is that scissors are blunted and don’t work well anymore.”

She quickly unloads the loaves of bread from the delivery sedan, before the driver, wearing a flak jacket, speeds away.

The delivery slowly draws in the elderly residents through Siversk’s largely deserted streets. They come seeking free bread, gossip and company.

It’s over 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit). Mykola shows up shirtless carrying a tote bag emblazoned with a red heart. “My apartment luckily still stands,” he says. “The windows are shattered and the roof is damaged, but the walls still stand.” He worries his apartment would be robbed if he leaves the town.

The Siversk residents who spoke to CNN asked to be identified only by their first names.

Just 10 kilometers (six miles) away from the current front lines, this Ukrainian town has been battered by more than 500 days of fighting. Overturned vehicles sit next to craters of all sizes.

Many of the buildings are reduced to rubble and wreckage. Those left standing have had no running water or electricity, many since the war began in February 2022.

Still, roughly 1,000 people, in a town that once had a population 10 times that, hold on to their homes and a pale semblance of the lives they once had there.

Read more here.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg attends a press conference ahead of a NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 10.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said it is “still possible to have a positive decision on Swedish membership” to NATO at the alliance’s two-day summit in Vilnius this week.

“We don’t have any certainty, we don’t have any guarantees, but of course, now we have the momentum of the summit with the leaders here, and we will use that momentum to ensure as much progress as possible,” Stoltenberg said during a press conference in Lithuania.

When asked about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan linking Sweden’s NATO membership to Turkey’s EU membership, Stoltenberg said that while he supports Turkey’s ambitions to be a member of the EU, according to him, Sweden had already met the conditions to join the alliance.??

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Monday that Sweden’s NATO accession is “imaginable in the near future,“ during a joint news conference with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Berlin.

Scholz said he hoped Sweden would soon become a NATO member as “Sweden would be a very perfect fit for NATO.”?

NATO had been aiming to?admit Sweden to the alliance?before July 11, when its major summit begins in Vilnius – but Turkey blocked Sweden’s accession due to long-running disagreements between the two countries.??

The regional military administration in Ukraine’s northern Sumy region is ordering the evacuation of border areas amid persistent cross-border shelling.

“Evacuation of the residents of Sumy region from the five-kilometer zone is a necessity that has been overdue for a long time,” said Volodymyr Artiukh, the head of the Sumy regional military administration.

The shelling has led to widespread destruction of property and the deaths of civilians. At least 17 civilians died over the past month, including one child, the Sumy regional military administration said in a statement Monday.?

Residents in the region “do not live” but only “survive” under the constant shelling, authorities said, adding that electricity has been disrupted “for weeks or even months.”?Shops, schools and hospitals are often closed, and the delivery of food, medicines and other essentials “is not possible” at the moment, authorities noted.?

The decision was made after a “thorough analysis of the operational situation” in the area “based on the results of the reports of the military, heads of districts and territorial communities,” Artiukh said.

“The evacuation will be carried out with the appropriate cover of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in order not to give the enemy any chance to carry out a provocation and put our residents in danger,” the administration said.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius holds a news conference in Berlin on July 10.

Germany will announce new support packages for Ukraine during the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Monday.

The preliminary work is “practically completed,” Pistorius said during a joint press conference with his French counterpart Sebastien Lecornu in Berlin.

Pistorius added that he expects the NATO summit will be “very united” and that it “must be, in light of the current situation.”

While pre-summit discussions have strengthened his hope, Pistorius said he is watching the issue of Sweden’s accession to NATO and “how Turkey and Hungary will act.”

Lecornu said it was key for the allies that Sweden becomes a NATO member “as quickly as possible.”

US President Joe Biden, right, talks with Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as he leaves from 10 Downing Street in London, England, on July 10.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and US President Joe Biden agreed on the need to “strengthen” their alliance and maintain support for Ukraine, a Downing Street spokesperson said in a statement Monday.?

The two leaders discussed Ukraine’s counteroffensive and emphasized the “importance of the country’s international partners committing to its long-term defense, providing the support Ukraine needs to win this war and secure a just and lasting peace,” the spokesperson said in the statement.

Sunak and Biden also agreed on the need to ensure Sweden has a “swift path to full NATO accession,” the spokesperson said.

The statement concluded by saying both leaders acknowledged the importance of their friendship and of continuing the “close dialogue they have had in the few months.”

Later Monday, Biden visited Windsor Castle and was greeted by King?Charles?III for the first time since the monarch ascended to the throne.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister?Dmytro?Kuleba?addresses the opening session on the first day of the Ukraine Recovery Conference in London, England, on June 21.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says that NATO has agreed to let Ukraine bypass a detailed formal process in its application to join the alliance.

“Following intensive talks, NATO allies have reached consensus on removing MAP [Membership Action Plan] from Ukraine’s path to membership,” Kuleba said in a tweet Monday.

“I welcome this long-awaited decision that shortens our path to NATO. It is also the best moment to offer clarity on the invitation to Ukraine to become member,” Kuleba added.

The Membership Action Plan (MAP) is a NATO program of assistance and practical support for countries wishing to join the US-led alliance. Participation in the MAP does not prejudge any decision by the alliance on future membership, but can be a lengthy process.?

There are “certain costs” in ensuring the safety of traffic on the bridge linking Crimea with Russia, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Peskov’s comments on Monday came the day after traffic on the bridge was suspended when air defenses in the area shot down a Ukrainian cruise missile, according to Russian officials.

“It is very important to ensure the safety of this important transport artery. While ensuring its safety, it is impossible to make the traffic completely uncontrolled. So yes, there are and there will be certain costs,” Peskov said.

There was heavy congestion on the approaches to the bridge on Sunday and into Monday, according to social media video and traffic maps.

“Measures are being taken to minimize these costs and provide all the amenities for citizens and tourists who use road transport for tourist trips,” said Peskov.

“We see that these traffic jams are not permanent. They can last for one or two days, then disappear.”

South Korea has provided more non-lethal aid to Ukraine, the country’s Ministry of National Defense told CNN on Monday, without providing further details.?

Earlier today, the Associated Press reported that South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol had said in a written interview with them that South Korea would provide further humanitarian and financial support to Ukraine, including de-mining equipment and ambulances.

The president’s office confirmed to CNN that Yoon had made these comments.?

South?Korea?has repeatedly maintained its stance not to supply lethal weapons to?Ukraine since Russia’s invasion.?

NATO leaders are preparing for a summit in Lithuania on Tuesday, with US President Joe Biden meeting with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan asking for his country to be allowed to join the European Union before Sweden is admitted to NATO.

Here are the latest headlines:

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, second right, speaks during a press conference at Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, Turkey, on July 10.

Turkey’s path to membership of the European Union should be cleared before Sweden’s NATO membership, according to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“First, let’s clear Turkey’s way in the European Union, then let’s clear the way for Sweden, just as we paved the way for Finland,” Erdogan said during a?press conference Monday ahead of a NATO summit in Lithuania.?

“Turkey?has been waiting at the gate of the European Union for over 50 years now,” said Erdogan. “Almost all NATO member countries are European member countries.”

Some context: Sweden and Finland both formally requested NATO membership shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

While Finland was granted accession in April 2023, Turkey continues to veto Sweden’s bid, accusing the country of housing Kurdish “terrorist organizations.”

Erdogan has previously said Turkey would not approve Sweden’s NATO membership unless the country extradites “terrorists” upon Turkish request.

Sweden has made clear this won’t happen and for now, the process is stuck.

Belarus'?Victoria?Azarenka?reacts to spectators as she leaves the court after losing her fourth round match against Ukraine's Elina Svitolina at Wimbledon, on July 9.

Belarusian tennis player Victoria Azarenka said “it wasn’t fair” that the?Wimbledon?crowd booed at the end of her fourth-round match against Ukrainian?Elina Svitolina.

As she has done after facing other Russian and Belarusian players, Svitolina – who won the tight contest 2-6 6-4 7-6 (11-9) – declined to shake Azarenka’s hand given the?ongoing war in her home country.

Instead, Azarenka showed her appreciation towards her opponent with a hand gesture at the net before the crowd booed as she walked off the court.

“What can I say about the crowd? There is nothing to say,” the No. 19 seed told reporters after the match. “She doesn’t want to shake hands with Russian, Belarusian people. I respected her decision.

“What should I have done? Stayed and waited? I mean, there’s nothing that I could do that would have been right, so I just did what I thought was respectful towards her decision,” added Azarenka.

Read the full story here.

The Ukrainian military says it has liberated 169 square kilometers of territory in the south since the beginning of the offensive in mid-May, an area roughly the size of the city of Odesa.

The official Military Media Center said that in the past week Ukrainian forces had advanced by more than one kilometer “as a result of the offensive in the Melitopol and Berdiansk directions.”

It said that 10 square kilometers of Ukrainian land have been liberated in the last week.

The Ukrainian General Staff said Monday that troops “continue to conduct offensive operations in the Melitopol and Berdiansk directions, entrenching themselves on the achieved lines, inflicting artillery fire, and carrying out counter-battery measures.”

Russian forces continue assault operations at several points along the Donetsk front lines, according to the Ukrainian General Staff, with 30 combat engagements over the last day. There has been little change in frontline positions along the eastern front lines.

The General Staff said that Ukrainian forces had resisted heavy fire by Russian aircraft and artillery in the Bakhmut area, and had also held back Russian assault operations near Avdiivka and Mariinka.

The Military Media Center said that 24 square kilometers had been liberated in the Bakhmut sector in recent operations, with 4 square kilometers of territory liberated in the past week.

There have been incremental Ukrainian advances south of Bakhmut around the village of Klishchiivka.?

“The enemy is resisting, moving units and troops, actively using its reserves. Heavy fighting continues,” the center said.

The Institute for the Study of War said in its latest analysis of the battlefield that “the current pace of the Ukrainian counteroffensive is reflective of a deliberate effort to conserve Ukrainian combat power and attrit Russian manpower and equipment at the cost of slower territorial advances.”

Ukrainian military officials have said that Russia is capable of bringing in substantial reserve units to compensate for losses.?

U.S. President Joe?Biden?leaves 10 Downing Street in London, England, on July 10.

US President Joe Biden has departed No. 10 Downing Street after less than an hour on site.

He shook hands with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and boarded his motorcade, rolling to Winfield House, the US Ambassador’s London residence, at 6:21 a.m. ET.

From there, Biden will take Marine One to Windsor Castle, where he will participate in an arrival ceremony and honor guard inspection, meet with King Charles III, and attend a discussion on climate change.

Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Wagner private military company chief Yevgeny Prigozhin met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin after his short-lived mutiny at the end of June, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday.

Putin held a meeting with more than 30 military commanders on June 29, and Prigozhin also attended, said Peskov during his daily call with the media.

Peskov was responding to a report in the French newspaper Liberation, which said Prigozhin had been to the Kremlin since his abortive mutiny.

“Indeed, the President held such a meeting. He invited 35 people, [including] all unit commanders and the leadership of the campaign, including Prigozhin himself.”

“This meeting took place in the Kremlin on June 29 and lasted for almost 3 hours. Its details are not known. The only thing we can say is that the President gave an assessment of the actions of the campaign at the front during the special military operation, as well as of the events of June 24,” Peskov said, referring latterly to the short-lived uprising during which Wagner troops marched towards Moscow.

“Putin listened to the explanations provided by the commanders and offered them further options for deployment and of further combat use,” added Peskov.

Last week, Peskov said the Kremlin had neither “the ability nor the desire” to track Prigozhin’s movements.

There has been widespread speculation about where the Wagner leader has been since the aborted mutiny on June 23-24.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko brokered an agreement for him to move to Belarus, but said last week Prigozhin was not in the country.?

Armin?Papperger, CEO of German defense and automotive group Rheinmetall AG poses in front of the company's logo and headquarters in Duesseldorf, Germany, on January.

Rheinmetall will open an armored vehicle plant in Ukraine within the next 12 weeks, shrugging off concerns other?Western defense companies?reportedly have about building a presence in the country while it is at war with Russia.

Germany’s biggest arms maker will also train Ukrainians to maintain the tanks and other armored vehicles made in the factory, which will be located in the western part of the country, CEO Armin Papperger told CNN in an exclusive interview on Thursday.

The company told the Rheinische Post newspaper earlier this year that it hoped to open a?€200 million ($218 million)?battle tank factory on Ukrainian soil, capable of producing about 400 tanks a year.

Read the full story here.

Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, right, and US President Joe Biden sit in the garden of 10 Downing Street in London, England, on July 10.

US President Joe Biden heralded a “rock solid” relationship with the United Kingdom as his meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak got underway in a garden at No. 10 Downing Street.

Biden recounted all of the places he’s met with Sunak – from San Diego to Belfast to Hiroshima to Washington, six times in the six months since the prime minister took office.

He continued: “Our relationship is rock solid … And I look forward to our discussions.”

Sunak welcomed Biden, saying he is “very privileged and fortunate to have you here.”

He said they would be strengthening cooperation on joint economic security, as well as discussing the NATO alliance.

“We head from here to NATO in Vilnius, where we stand as two of the firmest allies in that alliance and I know we want to do everything we can to strengthen Euro-Atlantic security. Great pleasure to have you here,” Sunak said.

The leaders ignored shouted questions, including one on his call with Turkish President Erdogan, as Biden admired a commemorative No.10 Downing Street mug.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, left, greets US President Joe Biden outside 10 Downing Street, London, ahead of a meeting during his visit to the UK on July 10.

US President Joe Biden has arrived at 10 Downing Street to meet UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the sixth meeting between the pair in as many months.

Sunak rolled out the red carpet for Biden’s first visit to Downing Street during his presidency, with the pair warmly greeting each other with a handshake and Biden giving a quick wave to reporters before the pair disappeared inside.

The president and prime minister are expected to discuss Russia’s war in Ukraine, among other key topics, with the visit aimed at bolstering the US-UK “special relationship” on the eve of a critical summit with NATO leaders in Vilnius, Lithuania.

The meeting comes at a pivotal time as Biden has just approved providing Ukraine with controversial cluster munitions, a type of weaponry that is opposed by over 100 countries, including the UK, which has signed up to a ban that prohibits their use.

The White House has tried to downplay any type of rift with allies over this issue, saying that there are different ways in which allies can provide support and weaponry to Ukraine.

CNN’s Nic Robertson recounted how US national security advisor Jake Sullivan had told journalists that the meeting would be a continuation of ongoing discussions.

One of the most pressing things is alignment on Ukraine and keeping NATO unified, and to that end cluster munitions may come up, and then there is the question about how to align over what kind of security guarantees to give to Ukraine going forward, added Robertson.

Biden and Sunak are also expected to discuss climate, technology and China, before the US president travels to Windsor to meet with King Charles III later today in Biden’s first engagement with the King since his May coronation.

The pair are expected to discuss public and private sector efforts to combat climate change.

Olga Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, gives an interview to the Ukrainian media on June 22, in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Ukraine wants a unanimous invitation from NATO members for Kyiv to join the defense alliance, Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanishyna said.

Russia’s war in Ukraine and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s push for NATO membership will be among the key issues at a NATO summit in Lithuania, which kicks off Tuesday.

However, US President Joe Biden?told CNN that Russia’s war in Ukraine must end before NATO can consider Kyiv’s membership of the alliance.

Stefanishnya said Zelensky’s physical presence in Vilnius this week had not yet been decided.?

“On the table in front of the leaders are the final documents that are proposed to be adopted as a result of the summit. Now we don’t know what these documents will contain,” she said.

Ukraine’s path to NATO membership: Ukraine’s eventual accession is taking on increasing urgency and is likely to be one of the biggest flash points for the group as the war drags on.

NATO first welcomed Ukraine’s membership aspirations during a 2008 meeting in Bucharest, Romania, but little progress has been made and the timeline remains uncertain. And while the US has said Ukraine will not be joining NATO as a member coming out of this meeting, the Vilnius summit presents a critical opportunity to take tangible steps toward that end in an important show of unity.

Biden will serve as a?key player?in determining what specific, measurable criteria or timelines, if any, are offered to Ukraine for NATO membership during this summit.

Russia’s Ministry of Defense has published video that appears to show top army general Valery Gerasimov speaking on Sunday — his first public appearance since the failed Wagner insurrection last month.

In a post alongside the Telegram video, the defense ministry said?Gerasimov, who rarely makes public appearances,?was listening to a report on Ukraine’s alleged attempts to strike targets in Crimea.

CNN is not able to independently verify when the video was shot.?

For weeks, questions have swirled over the whereabouts of Russia’s top generals including Gerasimov, following Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin’s short-lived rebellion.?

Last month, the Wall Street Journal reported that Western officials believed Prigozhin planned to capture Gerasimov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.?When asked about the WSJ report, two European security sources told CNN that while it was likely Prigozhin would have expressed a desire to capture Russian military leaders, there was no assessment as to whether he had a credible plan to do so.

Images from amateur Russian trainspotting websites appear to show Putin's train. The train is painted to look like an ordinary Russian Railways train.

August 5, 2022 was a day like many others in Ukraine. First light revealed the devastation from a night of Russian bombing.

Russian attacks on a?residential neighborhood of Mykolaiv?that morning brought “significant destruction,” the governor of the region said at the time, injuring at least 10.

On that same day, in Moscow, bureaucrats in President Vladimir Putin’s office were preoccupied by an issue far removed from the brutal war in Ukraine.

Recently leaked documents suggest that the “sports-health wagon” is used by none other than Putin himself.

Among the parts of the train detailed is car number 021-78630, with a gym and spa for Putin, according to the Dossier Center.

Remarkably little is known about Putin’s private life. His public image is carefully manicured, as has?been evident?in the days since?Yevgeny Prigozhin’s short-lived mutiny. But a trove of paperwork and photographs obtained exclusively by the London-based Russian investigations group the Dossier Center, and shared with CNN, Süddeutsche Zeitung, and German public broadcaster NDR and WDR, reveals details the Kremlin shrouds from public view, and the extent to which Putin’s paranoia has created a cloistered existence.

The Dossier Center is backed by Mikhail Khodorkovsky, an exiled former Russian oil tycoon turned Kremlin critic.

The fact that Putin uses a train is well known. The Kremlin itself has released images of meetings held on board, in an ornately decorated boardroom. The contents of the train’s other 20-odd cars, however, have been a closely guarded state secret.

The Dossier Center says the leaked documents came from an insider at Zircon Service, a Russian company tasked by Russian Railways, the state-owned rail operator, with outfitting the cars intended for the office of the Russian president.

Among the parts of the train detailed is car number 021-78630. A glossy brochure made by Zircon itself shows a luxurious gym and spa on wheels designed for Putin, the Dossier Center says.

Read the full story here.

Russia’s deadly bombing Sunday of a school where civilians were receiving humanitarian aid is a “war crime,” according to police in Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia region.

At least four people were killed and 11 others injured in the attack in the city of?Orikhiv, said?Yurii Malashko, head of the Zaporizhzhia region military administration.?

A “guided aerial bomb” was used in the attack, Malashko claimed.

Those killed range in age from 43 to 47,?and the injured have been hospitalized with varying degrees of severity, he said.

In a Facebook post Monday, regional police said at least 15 people were trapped under the rubble.

As of 8:30 a.m. local time Monday, rescue workers were still searching for any victims trapped under the rubble.

Police also said they were collecting “evidence of the cynical war crime.”

President Joe Biden waves as he walks down the steps of Air Force One at Stansted Airport in Stansted, England, on Sunday, July 9.

President Joe Biden?said before a critical trip to Europe that Ukraine is?not yet ready to enter NATO. More to the point, the alliance is not yet ready for Ukraine to join in a historic step that could deter Moscow but that might also increase the risk of a US-Russia war.

Biden has staked his foreign policy legacy on arming Ukraine to repel the Russian invasion — most recently with a contentious decision to send?cluster bombs. But he nevertheless sent a strong message to Kyiv in an?exclusive CNN interview?that its increasingly sharp campaign is unlikely to result in a certain date for NATO entry emerging from the alliance’s summit in Lithuania this week.?

A fateful decision: Deciding whether Ukraine joins NATO is one of the most fateful European security questions since waves of expansion took the alliance right up to Russia’s borders in a process advocates say guaranteed post-Cold War peace by deterring Kremlin aggression. Critics of enlargement into formerly Soviet Eastern Europe, however, argue the process humiliated Moscow, turned it back into an avowed foe of the West and helped lead to the invasion of Ukraine.

A decision to admit Ukraine would extend the sacred NATO pledge that an attack on one member is an attack on all to a nation Russia regards, at a minimum, as part of its sphere of influence — even if such a claim has no basis in international law. It would commit future Western leaders to go to war with nuclear-armed Russia and potentially risk a third World War if the Kremlin attacked its neighbor again.

Supporters of Ukraine’s membership in NATO, however, argue that decades of security and territorial integrity provided to ex-Warsaw Pact nations like Poland, Hungary and Romania are in itself proof that once under NATO’s mutual defense umbrella, Ukraine would at last be safe from future incursions by Moscow.

Read the full analysis here.

Spent cluster munitions in a field in Pereizne, in the Donetsk region of Ukraine on August 27, 2022.

The White House is defending its transfer of cluster munitions to Ukraine as part of a new military aid package, despite concerns on the possible effects on civilians.

Speaking to ABC, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said Russia is already using the weapons and “indiscriminately killing civilians.”

In a statement Friday, Human Rights Watch said both Ukraine and Russia had killed civilians with their use of cluster munitions in the war so far.

Much of the world has banned the use of these weapons through the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), which also prohibits the stockpiling, production and transfer of them. Though 123 nations have joined that convention, the United States, Ukraine, Russia and 71 other countries have not.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Saturday his country, a key NATO ally, is a signatory to the treaty banning cluster munitions, and “discourages” their use.

Another NATO ally, Spain, put forth even stronger opposition to the transfer.

Here’s what you need to know about the weapons:

Read more here.

The United States will rally support for Ukraine at a pivotal NATO summit that begins in Vilnius, Lithuania on Tuesday, but Kyiv is not yet ready to join the military alliance, US President Joe Biden told CNN in an interview.

As leaders gather, experts are watching for whether the alliance will offer any additional long-term security assistance to Ukraine.

Ukrainian officials have held a flurry of high-profile meetings ahead of the summit, including with the presidents of Poland and Turkey.

Here’s what you need to know:

A Ukrainian serviceman holds a defused cluster bomb from a Russian MSLR missile in the Kharkiv region on October 21, 2022.

The White House on Sunday defended its decision to send cluster munitions to Kyiv, despite concerns about civilian casualties.

Speaking to ABC, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said Russia is already using the weapon and “indiscriminately killing civilians.”

Cluster munitions scatter “bomblets” across large areas that can fail to explode on impact and can pose a long-term risk to anyone who encounters them, similar to landmines. Over 100 countries, including the UK, France and Germany, have outlawed the munitions under the Convention on Cluster Munitions, but the US, Ukraine and Russia are not signatories to the ban.

Both the Ukrainians and the Russians have used cluster bombs since Moscow’s forces invaded in February 2022. More recently, Ukrainian forces have begun using Turkish-provided cluster munitions on the battlefield.

Russian claims: Russia’s Embassy in Washington on Sunday claimed the US had “de facto” admitted to committing war crimes by approving the supply of cluster munitions to Kyiv.

In a statement on Telegram, the Russian Embassy said it had been “paying attention” to statements by US spokesperson Kirby.

Last Friday, the US confirmed that it will send cluster munitions to Ukraine as part of a new military aid package, following months of debate within the Biden administration about whether to provide Kyiv with the controversial weapons.

A Ukrainian self-propelled howitzer fires towards Russian positions near Bakhmut on July 7.

Ukrainian forces have made gains south of Bakhmut in the eastern Donetsk region and further north around Kupyansk, Ukrainian military leaders claimed on Sunday.

Serhii Cherevatyi, spokesman for the Eastern Grouping of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, told CNN by phone on Sunday that Ukraine continues to pressurize Russian forces in Bakhmut. “In Bakhmut the initiative is with our troops,” he said.

In its daily update Sunday, the Ukrainian Military’s General Staff said Russia was “focusing its main efforts on the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Marinka directions, and heavy fighting continues.” There were 27 combat engagements in that area over the past day, it added.

Kupyansk “remains a priority for the enemy,” Fedorenko said.

In the south: Maliar said Ukraine continues its offensive, naming Melitopol and Berdiansk among the cities where “hot battles” are taking place.

The General Staff also said Ukraine was consolidating positions in the same area.

“At the same time, the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to conduct offensive operations in the Melitopol and Berdiansk directions, consolidate their positions, and carry out counter-battery operations,” the General Staff said.

The General Staff added that in the south of Ukraine, in particular in the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson directions, Russian forces are focusing their main efforts on preventing further advance of Ukrainian troops.

US President Joe Biden arrives at Stansted Airport in Essex, England, ahead of his meetings with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and King Charles III on July 9.

US President Joe Biden arrived in the United Kingdom Sunday, kicking off a three-stop, high-stakes overseas trip with a London visit aimed at bolstering the US-UK “special relationship” on the eve of a critical summit with NATO leaders.?

Biden will meet with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and King Charles III on Monday, before departing for the NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania.

The president and prime minister are expected to discuss Russia’s war in Ukraine, among other key topics. And in his first engagement with the king since his May coronation, Biden will discuss public and private sector efforts to combat climate change.

US President Joe Biden and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an.

US President Joe Biden spoke with Turkish?President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an by phone Sunday as he?flew on Air Force One to the United Kingdom, a White House official told CNN.?

The leaders agreed to meet face-to-face during the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, to discuss Turkey-US relations and regional issues in detail, the Turkish presidency’s communication office said in a statement.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan confirmed to reporters that the two leaders spoke in a “45-minute, hour-long conversation.”

Turkey’s objections on Sweden:?The call comes as?Turkey continues to block Sweden’s bid to join the NATO alliance. Finland and Sweden formally applied to be part of the security alliance in May 2022, propelled by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and Finland was admitted this April.

But Turkey’s objections to Sweden’s efforts continue, which could prove a major embarrassment and source of weakness for the alliance.?All NATO member countries must agree on any additional country’s membership.?

Turkey’s?long-standing resistance?centers on its claim that Sweden allows members of recognized Kurdish terror groups to operate in its country. A recent Quran burning demonstration in Sweden has exacerbated the issue.

On the call, Erdo?an told Biden that Sweden has taken some steps in the right direction in order for Turkey to support its bid “by making changes in the anti-terrorism legislation,” his office said. But these steps were not effective because “supporters of the terrorist organization” continue to “freely hold demonstrations in praise of terrorism,” he added.

Biden’s role:?Erdo?an is set to meet with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on Monday in Vilnius.?

While Sweden’s government is playing a key role in the negotiations, NATO leaders are?looking to Biden?for what the US can offer to Turkey.

Turkey wants the US Congress to approve its purchase of US-made F-16 fighter jets. While US officials are reluctant to tie the Sweden issue and F-16s overtly, officials say that behind the scenes there is an obvious deal to be done.?

In an?interview with CNN,?Biden said he was optimistic that Sweden would eventually be admitted to NATO, noting that Turkey is seeking to modernize its F-16 fleet, along with Greece, which has voted to admit Sweden.

In his comments to reporters, Sullivan confirmed Biden and Erdo?an discussed the sale of F-16 jets to Turkey on Sunday, and that Biden “reiterated his longstanding and quite public commitment and support for the provision of F-16s to Turkey.”

CNN’s DJ Judd, Mariya Knight and Gul Tuysuz contributed to this report.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed the recent return of Azovstal leaders to Ukraine in a phone call with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Sunday.

The Azovstal leaders, who were taken to Turkey as part of a prisoner swap agreed with Russia in September, returned to Ukraine on Saturday following a meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Under the terms of their transfer 10 months ago, Turkey had agreed the men, who were captured by Russia after leading the defense of?Mariupol?from the?Azovstal steel plant?last year, would not be handed over to Ukraine until the war’s end. It was not immediately clear why Erdogan had apparently violated that agreement with Moscow.

The Ukrainian Presidency said the men were allowed to return to their homeland “according to negotiations with the Turkish side.”

Grain deal: The Russian and Turkish foreign ministers also discussed “further cooperation on issues related to ensuring global food security,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

Moscow recently signaled it was?not open?to extending the Black Sea grain deal, which expires July 17, with the foreign ministry last week saying it “has turned into a purely commercial export of Ukrainian food to ‘well-fed’ countries.”

The agreement, which is considered?vital for world food security, was first brokered by Turkey and the United Nations in July 2022 and again?extended in May?for two months.

President Joe Biden?told CNN in an exclusive interview that Ukraine is not yet ready for NATO membership, saying that Russia’s war in Ukraine needs to end before the alliance can consider adding Kyiv to its ranks.

Biden told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria that while discussion of Ukraine’s imminent membership in NATO was premature, the US and its allies in NATO would continue to provide President Volodymyr Zelensky and his forces the security and weaponry they need to try to end the war with Russia.

Biden spoke to Zakaria ahead of his weeklong trip to Europe, which includes a NATO summit in Lithuania where Russia’s war in Ukraine and Zelensky’s push for NATO membership will be among the key issues looming over the gathering.

Biden said that he’s spoken to Zelensky at length about the issue, saying that he’s told the Ukrainian president the US would keep providing security and weaponry for Ukraine like it does for Israel while the process plays out.

“I think we have to lay out a rational path for Ukraine to be able to qualify to be able to get into NATO,” Biden said, noting that he refused Russian President Vladimir Putin’s demands before the war for a commitment not to admit Ukraine because the alliance has “an open-door policy.”

“But I think it’s premature to say, to call for a vote, you know, in now, because there’s other qualifications that need to be met, including democratization and some of those issues,” Biden said.

Read more here.

Flags of NATO member countries outside the venue of the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 9.

US President Joe Biden’s attendance at the NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, starting Tuesday comes at a critical time for the military alliance.

The backdrop, of course, is?Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, which is posing the biggest threat to global stability for the alliance in recent history.

Biden will be a key player on a host of critical issues as leaders gather in Vilnius, a city on NATO’s eastern frontier that sits approximately 20 miles from the Belarusian border.

Ukraine’s path to NATO membership: Ukraine’s eventual accession is taking on increasing urgency and is likely to be one of the biggest flash points for the group as the war drags on.

NATO first welcomed Ukraine’s membership aspirations during a 2008 meeting in Bucharest, Romania, but little progress has been made and the timeline remains uncertain. And while the US has said Ukraine will not be joining NATO as a member coming out of this meeting, the Vilnius summit presents a critical opportunity to take tangible steps toward that end in an important show of unity.

Biden will serve as a?key player?in determining what specific, measurable criteria or timelines, if any, are offered to Ukraine for NATO membership during this summit.

Sweden’s stalled accession: Observers will also be closely watching how the leaders interact with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an as he continues to block Sweden’s bid to join the alliance. Finland and Sweden formally applied to be part of the security alliance in May 2022, propelled by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and Finland was admitted this April. But Turkey’s objections to Sweden’s efforts continue, which could prove a major embarrassment and source of weakness for the alliance.

Biden has already made a notable show of support in welcoming his Swedish counterpart, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, to the White House Wednesday and voicing full-throated support for its accession.

Leaders will also be looking to Biden for what the US can offer to Turkey to grease the wheels. Turkey wants Congress to approve its purchase of US-made F-16 fighter jets. While US officials are reluctant to tie the Sweden issue and F-16s overtly,?officials say that behind the scenes?there is an obvious deal to be done.

Assistance to Ukraine: As leaders gather, experts are also watching for whether the alliance can offer any additional long-term security assistance to Ukraine, including the possibility of additional F-16 fighter jets. Such long-term investments can serve as a key signal to Russia of NATO’s long-term support for Ukraine.

Biden informed G7 leaders in May that the US will support a joint effort with allies and partners to train Ukrainian pilots on fourth generation aircraft, including F-16s.

It remains to be seen what he may announce as he convenes with NATO allies.

Read more about Biden’s trip, including his priorities during a stop in London and at a gathering of Nordic leaders, here.