NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaks during a press conference ahead of a NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania on Monday. Russia’s war in Ukraine will top the agenda when NATO leaders meet in the Lithuanian capital on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Mindaugas Kulbis/AP
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Mindaugas Kulbis/AP
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaks during a press conference ahead of a NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania on Monday. Russia’s war in Ukraine will top the agenda when NATO leaders meet in the Lithuanian capital on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Mindaugas Kulbis/AP
Here’s a preview and roundup of the main developments from the past week.
What to watch
President Biden and NATO allies will meet for the alliance summit in Lithuania starting Tuesday, and the war in Ukraine is set to dominate. Sweden’s impending entry into NATO and a possible path for Ukraine’s membership — or not — were also big issues in the build-up to the rally.
A United Nations-Turkey-brokered deal to allow Ukrainian grain and other agricultural products to be shipped safely from Black Sea ports is due to expire next week, July 17. Russia has again threatened to pull out of the deal if its own trade terms are not met.
What happened
Russian President Vladimir Putin had talks with Yevgeny Prigozhin and other leaders of the Wagner Group’s mercenary force, the Kremlin said. They spoke just five days after Wagner’s rebellion against Russian defense leaders. It is still unclear what role Wagner might play in the war in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky marked the 500th day of war with Russia this weekend, releasing a video filmed on Snake Island, where he honored the troops defending his country. He also announced that five commanders of a renowned unit that had fought in the city of Mariupol who had been captured would return home.
American journalist Evan Gershkovich spent the 100 days of detention in Russia. Emma Tucker, editor-in-chief of The Wall Street Journalhis employer, told NPR he remains healthy and in relatively good spirits.
The United States is give Ukraine controversial cluster bombs target dug-in Russian forces. Ukraine and Russia use cluster munitions, which are banned by more than 120 countries because of their immediate and longer-term danger to civilians.
The boss of the Wagner Group mercenaries, Yevgeny Prigozhin, was allegedly back to Russiaaccording to the autocratic leader of Belarus, which is the country the Kremlin said Prigozhin would head to after his attempted mutiny.
Ukraine said Russian forces had placed devices resembling explosives on the roofs nuclear reactors they control in Ukraine. Russia has also accused Ukraine of planning attacks on the factory.
President Biden welcomed Sweden’s Prime Minister to the White House in a show of support for the Nordic country’s entry into NATO, ahead of the alliance’s summit this week.
In depth
Opinion: Remembering Ukrainian poet Victoria Amelina
Biden meets with King Charles before heading to a NATO leaders’ summit in Lithuania
Is a prisoner exchange being discussed for an American journalist detained in Russia?
Cluster munitions ban advocate talks about US shipments to Ukraine
Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin is back in Russia, says Lukashenko from Belarus
To protect themselves from Russian airstrikes, Ukrainian defenders “shoot and spin”
US expected to announce it will send cluster munitions to Ukraine
Ukrainian Zelenskyy warns of possible Russian sabotage at nuclear power plant
Special report
Russia’s war in Ukraine is changing the world: check out our report on its ripple effects around the globe.
Previous developments
You can read past recaps here. For context and more in-depth stories, you can find more NPR coverage here. Also, listen and subscribe to NPR Ukrainian state podcast for updates throughout the day.
