As NATO Summit Wraps Up, 'Ukrainian Outrage' Softens

The NATO summit in Lithuania wraps up Wednesday, and President Biden will spend much of it in the spotlight: He's set to meet with Volodymyr Zelensky prior to delivering a keynote speech. While Zelensky on Tuesday slammed NATO's failure to share a timetable for Ukraine joining the alliance as "absurd," he took a much softer tone Wednesday, reports the BBC. The latest:

• Wednesday marked the first ever meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council, which formally had commission status, reports CNN. "This is a truly historic moment: allies and Ukraine sitting side by side as equals to address our common vision of Euro-Atlantic security," said NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, who was joined by Zelensky.
• A key line from Stoltenberg: "At this summit, we have reaffirmed that Ukraine will become a member of the alliance and we have made decisions to bring Ukraine closer to NATO. Today we meet as equals, and I look forward to the day we meet as allies."

• The BBC reports that while taking questions from reporters alongside Stoltenberg, Zelensky adopted a "conciliatory tone." Zelensky said he gets why some people are "afraid" to talk about Ukraine joining NATO: "Nobody is willing to have a world war."
• As for what prompted the softening, NBC News reports Stoltenberg "may have dampened Ukrainian outrage" by announcing a three-part package designed to make it easier for Ukraine to gain member status. What the plan consists of: It's now a one-step, not two-step process for Ukraine to become a member, as the "action plan" requirement has been dropped; a multiyear program of practical assistance has been set up; and the aforementioned NATO-Ukraine Council has been established. "Ukraine is now closer to NATO than ever before," said Stoltenberg.

(More Ukraine stories.)