"The operation went well, and the new heart is beating in the girl's chest. Ukrainian counteroffensive making slow progress: The Ukrainian military says it has liberated 169 square kilometers (about 65 square miles) of territory in the south since the beginning of the offensive in mid-May, an area roughly the size of the city of Odesa. Meantime, at least seven people were killed in a Russian attack on a school in Orikhiv in Ukraine's southern Zaporizhzhia region.The preliminary work is "practically completed," Pistorius said during a joint news conference with his French counterpart Sebastien Lecornu in Berlin. Germany will announce new support for Ukraine at NATO summit: Germany will announce new support packages for Ukraine during the upcoming NATO summit, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said.Biden and Zelensky to meet: US President Joe Biden will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the NATO summit on Wednesday, an official familiar with the meeting confirms. Russia’s war in Ukraine is among the top agenda items for NATO leaders, along with discussing a future pathway for the war-torn country to join the alliance.British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said Sweden's membership to NATO is "in everyone's interest." Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, called it a "historic step." Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, whose country joined NATO in April, said that "Finland's NATO membership is not complete without that of Sweden."
What leaders are saying: US President Joe Biden welcomed Turkey’s decision to support Sweden, adding that he was ready to work with Erdogan.He said the move was not a result of “new negotiation” and that the agreement "builds on what we agreed a year ago in Madrid." The announcement represents a shift from Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who had earlier on Monday suggested Sweden could only join the alliance after his country is accepted into the European Union. More on Sweden's ascension to NATO: Turkey's agreement to allow Sweden to become a member of NATO has been in the works since last year, according to Stoltenberg.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. Putin that the West is strong, united, and growing stronger against his aggression in Ukraine. “It strengthens the Western alliance significantly, and it shows Mr. 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.” 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. Menendez said he could come to a conclusion on the possible sale of F-16s “in the next week.”
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 has had a long-standing opposition to selling the jets to Turkey, citing the autocratic leadership of President Recip Tayyib Erdogan.
“I’m continuing to have my reservations on the F-16s," he said Monday, adding he needed assurances from the Biden administration that Ankara would not act in a belligerent way against fellow NATO members, notably its neighbor Greece.
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