NATO-Ukraine Council to hold first meeting in Vilnius

VILNIUS. July 12 (Interfax/BNS) - The NATO-Ukraine Council will hold the inaugural meeting in Vilnius on Wednesday afternoon with the participation of NATO heads of state and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky.

Zelensky will also have a series of meetings with NATO heads of state, including U.S. President Joe Biden.

The NATO heads of state are due to meet with the leaders of Sweden, India, and a number of Pacific and EU countries.

A two-day NATO summit began in Vilnius on July 11. It was decided on the first day that Ukraine would be invited to join NATO after all members of the alliance agree and when it meets certain conditions.

The summit participants approved a ceiling for defense funding of NATO member states and new regional defense plans.

Turkey and Sweden agreed that Ankara would stop blocking Stockholm's membership in NATO.