NATO leaders said Tuesday that they would allow Ukraine to join the alliance 맥스카지노�when allies agree and conditions are met맥스카지노� 맥스카지노� a pronouncement that came just hours after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy blasted the organization맥스카지노�s failure to set a timetable for his country as 맥스카지노�absurd.맥스카지노�Instead, alliance leaders decided to remove obstacles on Ukraine맥스카지노�s membership path so that it can join more quickly once the war with Russia is over.맥스카지노�We reaffirmed Ukraine will become a member of NATO and agreed to remove the requirement for a membership action plan,맥스카지노� NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters, referring to a key step in the process that involves advice and assistance for countries seeking to join.맥스카지노�This will change Ukraine맥스카지노�s membership path from a two-step path to a one-step path,맥스카지노� Stoltenberg said.Although many NATO members have funneled arms and ammunition to Zelenskyy맥스카지노�s forces, there is no consensus among the 31 allies for admitting Ukraine into NATO맥스카지노�s ranks.Zelenskyy pushed back sharply against the decision as he headed to the annual NATO summit in Vilnius.맥스카지노�It맥스카지노�s unprecedented and absurd when a time frame is set neither for the invitation nor for Ukraine맥스카지노�s membership,맥스카지노� Zelenskyy tweeted. 맥스카지노�While at the same time, vague wording about 맥스카지노�conditions맥스카지노� is added even for inviting Ukraine. It seems there is no readiness to invite Ukraine to NATO or to make it a member of the Alliance."NATO membership would afford Ukraine protection against a giant neighbor that annexed its Crimean Peninsula almost a decade ago and more recently seized vast swaths of land in the east and south. Joining NATO would also oblige Kyiv to reform its security institutions, improve governance and curb corruption 맥스카지노� work that would also ease the country's path into the European Union.Asked about Zelenskyy맥스카지노�s concerns, Stoltenberg said the most important thing now is to ensure that his country wins the war, because 맥스카지노�unless Ukraine prevails there is no membership to be discussed at all.맥스카지노�The broadside from Zelenskyy could renew tensions at the summit shortly after it saw a burst of goodwill following an agreement by Turkey to advance Sweden's bid to join NATO. Allies hope to resolve the seesawing negotiations and create a clear plan for the alliance and its support for Ukraine.The Ukrainian president, who was to meet Wednesday with U.S. President Joe Biden and other NATO leaders, expressed deep frustration in an emotional speech in downtown Vilnius.맥스카지노�Today I started my journey with faith in solutions, with faith in strong partners, with faith in NATO 맥스카지노� in a NATO that does not hesitate, that does not waste time and does not look over their backs at any aggressor,맥스카지노� Zelenskyy said.맥스카지노�I would like this faith to become confidence, confidence in the decisions that we deserve, all of us 맥스카지노� every soldier, every citizen, every mother, every child,맥스카지노� he said. 맥스카지노�Is that too much to ask?맥스카지노�Sharp divisions have emerged within the alliance over Ukraine's desire to join NATO, which was promised back in 2008 even though few steps were taken toward that goal.In addition, the Baltic states 맥스카지노� including Lithuania, which is hosting the summit 맥스카지노� have pushed for a strong show of support and a clear pathway toward membership for Ukraine.However, the United States and Germany urged caution. Biden said last week that Ukraine was not ready to join. Members of NATO, he told CNN, need to 맥스카지노�meet all the qualifications, from democratization to a whole range of other issues,맥스카지노� a nod toward longstanding concerns about governance and corruption in Kyiv.In addition, some fear that bringing Ukraine into NATO would serve more as a provocation to Russia than as a deterrence against aggression.Concretely, NATO leaders decided to launch a series of multiyear programs to bring Ukraine맥스카지노�s Soviet-era military equipment and doctrines up to modern standards so the country can operate fully with the alliance.On Wednesday, the leaders and Zelenskyy are set to launch a new, upgraded forum for their cooperation: a NATO-Ukraine Council, where all parties can convene crisis talks if their security is threatened.To fast-track its future membership, the leaders agreed to do away with a membership action plan for Ukraine, a program often seen as mandatory for aspiring nations to undertake.Known in NATO parlance as a MAP, the action plan involves a tailor-made package of advice, assistance and practical support for countries preparing to join NATO. Bosnia, for example, is currently taking part in one.Pressed by reporters to say what kind of conditions are being placed on Ukraine joining, Stoltenberg said: 맥스카지노�We want modern defense and security institutions."The dispute over Ukraine stands in contrast to a hard-fought agreement to advance Sweden's membership. The deal was reached after days of intensive meetings, and it's poised to expand the alliance's strength in Northern Europe.맥스카지노�Rumors of the death of NATO맥스카지노�s unity were greatly exaggerated," White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters triumphantly on Tuesday.According to a joint statement issued when the deal was announced, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will ask Turkey's parliament to approve Sweden joining NATO.Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, another holdout, is expected to take a similar step. Hungary's foreign minister said Tuesday that his country's ratification of Sweden's NATO membership was now just a 맥스카지노�technical matter.맥스카지노� Erdogan has not yet commented publicly.The outcome is a victory as well for Biden, who has touted NATO's expansion as an example of how Russia's invasion of Ukraine has backfired on Moscow.Finland has already become the 31st member of the alliance, and Sweden is on deck to become the 32nd. Both Nordic countries were historically nonaligned until the war increased fears of Russian aggression.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that NATO's expansion is "one of the reasons that led to the current situation.맥스카지노�"It looks like the Europeans don맥스카지노�t understand their mistake,맥스카지노� Peskov said. He warned against putting Ukraine on a fast track for NATO membership.맥스카지노�Potentially it맥스카지노�s very dangerous for the European security. It carries very big risks," Peskov said.Erdogan met with Biden on Tuesday evening but remained mum on the deal to advance Sweden맥스카지노�s membership in NATO.Although Biden made a reference to 맥스카지노�the agreement you reached yesterday,맥스카지노� Erdogan said nothing about it. It was a conspicuous omission from Erdogan, who has not commented on the issue publicly during the summit.However, Erdogan appeared eager to develop his relationship with Biden. He said previous meetings were 맥스카지노�mere warm-ups, but now we are initiating a new process.맥스카지노�The Turkish president has been seeking advanced American fighter jets and a path toward membership in the European Union. The White House has expressed support for both, but publicly insisted that the issues were not related to Sweden's membership in NATO.The Biden administration has backed Turkey맥스카지노�s desire to buy 40 new F-16s as well as modernization kits from the U.S.Biden is on a five-day trip to Europe, with the NATO summit as its centerpiece.After the summit ends Wednesday, he will travel to Helsinki. On Thursday, he will celebrate Finland's recent entry into NATO and meet with Nordic leaders.___Associated Press writers Aamer Madhani, Zeke Miller, Lisa Mascaro and Darlene Superville in Washington, Justin Spike in Budapest, Hungary, and Lorne Cook in Vilnius, Lithuania, contributed to this report.