WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th July, 2023) US President Joe Biden's trip to Europe over the coming days will focus on the NATO leaders' summit where talks will revolve around strengthening the alliance's defense capabilities, especially on its eastern flank, and reviewing Ukraine's continued plea to be allowed into the group.
Biden is scheduled to travel to the United Kingdom, Lithuania, and Finland from Sunday to Thursday, but will spend his time at the NATO leaders' summit in Vilnius on Tuesday and Wednesday.
White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters Friday that Biden will meet with all of the NATO leaders at the summit as well as a number of NATO partners from Europe and from the Indo-Pacific.
"They will discuss a range of subjects from strengthening NATO's eastern flank to modernizing NATO's deterrence and defense capabilities," Sullivan said.
US Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith told reporters that the upcoming NATO summit will result in a concrete package of deliverables, including longer-term assistance on military modernization of Ukraine.
Smith also noted that the summit will address Ukraine's membership aspirations, but will not simply restate the Bucharest statement from 2008.
According to Sullivan, no one should anticipate that NATO will grant Ukraine membership during the summit this week, but allies will discuss what the necessary steps Kiev must take if it wishes to join.
"Vilnius will be an important moment on that pathway towards membership because the United States, our NATO allies, and Ukraine will have the opportunity to discuss the reforms that are still necessary for Ukraine to come up to NATO standards," Sullivan said. "So this will in fact be a milestone, but Ukraine still has further steps that it needs to take before membership."
Moreover, Sullivan mentioned that NATO allies have had ongoing discussions about whether Ukraine would need to fulfill the Membership Action Plan, which essentially establishes the standards that must be met to qualify for NATO membership, but he declined to comment on whether a decision will be finalized in Vilnius.
Biden is also scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda prior to the start of the NATO summit.
After the NATO summit, Biden will deliver a speech on Wednesday evening in Vilnius about the United States' cooperation with allies and partners to take on challenges from Russia and other urgent matters such as climate change, according to Sullivan.
Prior to the NATO leaders' summit, Biden will first travel to London for talks with King Charles III and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Sullivan said.
Biden's meeting with King Charles III will focus on mobilizing climate finance, especially bringing private finance off the sidelines for clean energy deployment and adaptation in developing countries, Sullivan said.
The US president's meeting with Sunak will revolve around a range of bilateral and global issues, he added.
Biden will conclude his trip in Europe with a visit to Helsinki on Thursday to participate in the US-Nordic leaders summit and for a bilateral meeting with Finish President Sauli Niinisto.
In these meetings, Biden will advance the United States' cooperation with the Nordic countries on shared regional security objectives, along with shared efforts on technology, health, climate and clean energy, Sullivan said.
