Leaders of NATO’s military alliance are meeting today and tomorrow in Vilnius, Lithuania.

The summit is taking place at a critical time for security in Europe, as the war in Ukraine is in the midst of a Kiev counteroffensive.

The summit also comes a year after the Madrid meeting, where NATO allies agreed on a new strategic concept that singled out Russia as a direct threat to security.

Leaders of member states of the world’s largest military organization are expected to discuss a wide range of issues, including Ukraine’s efforts to join NATO and Sweden’s admission to the alliance.

During the summit, it is not expected that Ukraine will be extended a membership invitation, which, according to NATO procedures, is the first step towards full membership.

This has already been confirmed by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who has stated that this cannot happen as long as the war in the country continues.

Expectations are that allies will show some disagreements on how to approach this issue in the final declaration.

Eastern European countries believe that Ukraine should be offered a roadmap, while Western countries, including the United States and Germany, are more cautious about actions that could bring the alliance closer to war with Russia.

The United Kingdom has proposed allowing Ukraine to bypass the so-called Membership Action Plan, which includes political, economic, and military reforms that every candidate country must fulfill before full membership.

In addition to the membership perspective, NATO leaders are also expected to pledge continued military and financial assistance to Kyiv.

• Green light for Sweden

The issue of Sweden practically ended on 10 July, one night before the alliance summit, when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan agreed to submit Sweden’s candidacy for NATO membership to the Parliament of his country.

Sweden, like Finland, has traditionally been a neutral country when it comes to military alliances, but it has sought admission to the alliance following Russia’s aggression in Ukraine last year on 24 February.

Finland became a full member of NATO in April of this year.

Although both countries have simultaneously sought membership, Turkey has so far blocked the membership process for Sweden, claiming that the country harbors members of militant groups that Ankara considers terrorists.

In the meeting organized by Stoltenberg on 10 July with the President of Turkey and the Prime Minister of Sweden, Erdoğan agreed to lift the veto, opening the possibility for Sweden to become a NATO member.

Full membership will occur when all countries ratify the accession protocol.

• Kosovo off the agenda

There is no expectation that Kosovo will be discussed at the summit, despite increased tensions in the northern part of the predominantly Serbian-inhabited country.

Recent incidents there have led to attacks by Serbian protesters against NATO’s mission troops in Kosovo – KFOR, but nevertheless, Kosovo is not on the official agenda for discussions.

• Strict security measures

For the host of the NATO summit, Lithuania, this event is the largest in the history of the country.

Three German anti-aircraft units, Patriot, as well as additional fighter aircraft, have been deployed for security.

Additionally, over 1,000 soldiers from various NATO countries will ensure security.

Lithuania shares borders with the Russian region of Kaliningrad in the southwest, as well as Belarus – a Russian ally – in the east and south.