At a NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with leaders from the Bucharest Nine and Nordic countries to discuss support for Ukraine and the upcoming NATO Summit.

Zelensky emphasized Ukraine’s readiness for peace talks in Istanbul, calling for a ceasefire, prisoner exchanges, and the return of abducted children. He warned that if no progress is made, new sanctions on Russia must follow. “The 18th EU sanctions package and strong US sanctions—especially those promised by President Trump—must be implemented immediately,” he said.

Referring to Ukraine’s recent “Spider Web” strike on Russian air assets, Zelensky urged NATO to increase pressure on Moscow. “The more losses Russia suffers, the closer it moves to diplomacy,” he said.

NATO’s Mark Rutte stated that the alliance’s eastern flank is now “longer and stronger than ever,” with added troops and expanded defense initiatives in response to the threat from Russia.