The Russian invasion.

US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during a meeting in June. Susan Walsh/AP  

The Russian invasion. The outside world's response  

Biden in London for meeting with Sunak and tea with Charles  

 

Today, US President Joe Biden meets British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Great Britain, writes the BBC. The visit, which takes place the day before the NATO summit in Vilnius, is expected to be dominated by the countries' continued efforts for Ukraine.  

 

The United States and Great Britain are two of the countries that have gone the furthest in their support for the country. But the countries' opinions differ on some points. On the one hand, Great Britain is pushing for Ukrainian NATO membership, while the White House believes that it cannot become an issue until Russia's war in Ukraine is over.  

 

The meeting also takes place against the background of the criticism that the US has received for the decision to send cluster bombs to Ukraine, AP writes. The message has not been explicitly criticized by Sunak, who however said that he "advises" against using cluster bombs. 

 

During his visit to the UK, Joe Biden will also meet King Charles III for the first time since the coronation in May. The meeting will be marked by pomp and show with a royal salute and tea for the men, AP writes.  

 

  

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi. Efrem Lukatsky / AP  

 

The Russian Invasion|The Summit in Vilnius 

Analysis: Ukraine's appeal is intractable dilemma for NATO  

 

NATO is facing a profound dilemma in the Ukraine issue, writes CNN's Stephen Collinson. While some countries are pushing to quickly welcome Ukraine into the defense alliance, others - such as US President Joe Biden - warn that it would force the whole of NATO into the war at this point.  

 

There are many arguments both for and against Ukraine becoming NATO members, writes Collinson. But offering Ukraine membership "when the war is over" risks being counterproductive because it would give the Kremlin a reason to never end its war, he believes. 

 

One of the biggest problems for NATO is that already in 2008 they promised Ukraine that they would one day become members of the defense alliance, writes the BBC's Katya Adler. 

 

Expectations are therefore high that NATO must now offer Kyiv something else of significance. But what? Several things, according to Adler. Among other things, she highlights promises of long-term military support and the newly formed NATO-Ukraine Council, which is holding its first meeting in Vilnius these days.  

“At the end of the day, no one in NATO questions the need to support Ukraine in the short, medium and long term. Right now, they have free rein in their counteroffensive," writes Adler.

Image from the Russian Ministry of Defense video, Valery Gerasimov in the center. 

 

Russian invasionWagner rebellion  

Top Russian general exposed after failed mutiny Russian 

 

Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov has appeared in a video for the first time since the failed Wagner uprising on June 24, writes Reuters. Footage released by the Russian Defense Ministry shows Gerasimov sitting at a desk on Sunday holding a video conference with other Russian commanders.  

 

A week ago, several pro-Kremlin reporters began reporting that Gerasimov had been replaced as the country's supreme commander by deputy commander Mikhail Teplinsky.  

 

During the uprising, Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin demanded Gerasimov's resignation because, according to Prigozhin, he must have failed several times during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

 

But Reuters notes that the video shows that President Vladimir Putin has chosen to keep Gerasimov in the post as one of his most powerful military men. 

 

 

Archive image. Yevgeny Prigozhin and Vladimir Putin side by side in 2010. Alexei Druzhinin / AP  

 

Russian invasionWagner rebellion 

Putin met Prigozhin after the mutiny - allegedly offered "statement" about Wagner Russian 

 

President Vladimir Putin met with Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in Moscow on June 29, just days after the aborted Midsummer weekend uprising. This is stated by the Kremlin according to several media. During the meeting, which lasted for three hours, Prigozhin and a number of other people from the Wagner Group should have given their version of events, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claims.  

 

Putin reportedly "listened to their explanations" and also offered his own "statement" of the group's performance on the battlefield in Ukraine and during the insurgency. Putin is also alleged to have offered the soldiers to continue fighting for Russia. 

 

The Wagner Rebellion was called off after 36 hours, after Prigozhin reached an agreement with Russia.  

 

 

Zelenskyy together with the returning commanders. AP  

 

The Russian InvasionThe Battles  

Free Azovstal soldiers flew home on the presidential plane  

 

The five Ukrainian commanders who fought at the Azovstal steel plant and now returned home from Turkey intend to return to the battlefield. They stated this at a press conference in the city of Lviv after returning home, reports CNN. 

 

The men have been held in Turkey since September under an agreement with Russia. After sending them to Ukraine, Russia has accused Turkey of violating the agreement that the countries concluded. 

  

The Ukrainian commanders were flown home from Turkey on the same plane as President Volodymyr Zelenskyi. CNN writes that it is another feather in Zelensky's cap in connection with the trip to Istanbul, where he also received President Erdogan's support for possible NATO membership.