President Biden is in Fi AMNA NAWAZ: Finland is the newest# member of the transatlantic alliance,## and Mr. Biden will celebrate that tomorrow.

But there was still much to do on# as the alliance expands in the face of# Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Our Laura Barron-Lopez was there.

JOE BIDEN, President of the United# States: We (LAUGHTER) LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: A warm moment between# VO LODYMYR ZELENSKYY, Ukrainian President: Thank# you very much to all these days you are with us,## I mean, you, and Americans.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: President## Joe Biden for the first time publicly hinted## that Ukraine's NATO membership could# come sooner than previ JOE BIDEN: I hope we finally have put to bed# the notion about whether or not Ukraine welcome in NATO.

It's going to happen.# We're moving -- all moving in the right## direction.

I think it's just a matter# of getting by the next few months here.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Ukrainian President# Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived for summit## meetings with a softer tone and clear-eyed that# membership in the midst of war was off the table.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY: What we hear and understand## that we will have this invitation LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: He did secure commitments# from the U.S. and other Group of 7 leaders## that look ahead.

A joint declaration# pledged long-term security assistance## designed to help Ukraine defend# itself against future attacks.

JOE BIDEN: We're going to help Ukraine# build a strong, capable defense acro air and sea.

It will be a force of stability in# the region and deter against any and all threats.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: That announcement# helped cool tensions from yesterday,## when Zelenskyy called the absence of a clear# timeli But, today, Zelenskyy greeted NATO# Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg## with a hug, the two agreeing# the summit sent a clear signal.

JENS STOLTENBERG, NATO Secretary-General:# Today, we meet as equals.## I look forward to the day we meet as allies.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY (through translator): I'm# confident, after the war, Ukrain JENS STOLTENBERG: This is truly a historic moment LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: And they gathered for the# inaugural meetin JENS STOLTENBERG: Volodymyr,# it's great to have you here.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: A new panel Bu t the war is in its 504th day,# its toll on Ukrainians evident## in Zelenskyy's persuasion campaign for weapons.## He praised President Biden for the decision# to send cluster muni VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY (through# translator): And this is about justice:## We defend ourselves.

We're defending# ourselves without using appropriate## weapons on the territory of other# states.

As for the rest of the aid,## we need long-range weapons.

This deficit hasn't# gone away.

And I will raise this question.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: While Ukraine# dominated the agenda in Vilnius,## the alliance also took steps to# fortify its own members' borders.

JENS STOLTENBERG: Our security is interconnected LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: For the first time since# the Cold War, they app in case of an attack on NATO territory.# They reinforced a 2 percent of GDP defense## spending minimum.

So far, just seven of# the 31 member countries hit that target.

They also hosted Indo-Pacific leaders to# deepen global ties against other adversaries,## including China, and saw a deal# struck for Sweden's NATO membership,## though Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said# today his country will not immediately vote on RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, Turkish President# (through translator): Now we have a## two-month parliamentary vacation.

Our goal# is to finish t JOE BIDEN: Hello, Lithuania.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) President Biden celebrated# NATO's unity in downtown JOE BIDEN: Strong alliances,## versatile partnerships, common purpose,# LA URA BARRON-LOPEZ: Continuing the victory lap# for NATO's expansion, President Biden travels## to Finland tomorrow, his first presidential# visit to the newest member of the NATO alliance.

Moments before boarding Air Force One to Helsinki,## President Biden said that -- President Biden# said that they accomplis they needed to at the summit and that Ukraine# now understands that it's more important for them## to get military aid than to be concerned about# the timeline for their NATO membership -- Amna.

AMNA NAWAZ: Laura, that NATO summit# began with a tense 24 hours between## Presidents Biden and Zelenskyy.# That seems to have since shifted,## but what's the status of the relationship# between the two leaders post-summit?

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: That's right, Amna.

President Zelenskyy went from calling it# absurd that there was no clear timeline## for them to join NATO, also said that# it was a sign of weakness that would## encourage Russian aggression.

He said that# on Tuesday, and then about 24 hours later,## sitting alongside President Biden, praised# the president, as well as Americans.

And President Biden also welcomed that# praise and said that they were standing## by Ukraine.

I spoke to Jake Sullivan today,# Amna, about all this, and he said that, look,## President Zelenskyy had the right to voice some# frustration and to say that they wanted immediate## NATO membership, but that, ultimately, it has# to be agreed upon by all the 31 members of NATO.

AMNA NAWAZ: Laura, tell us more about the next# steps now for delivering assistance to Ukraine.

What is the White House doing to help guarantee## that assistance both in the# short term and the long term?

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: In the near term, Amna,## it's going to be those cluster -- cluster# munitions that we have reported on and that## Zelenskyy was -- also said are something that# is very important to Ukraine to have right now.

But President Biden again, right# before he boarded Air Force One,## said that he was open to potentially sending# long-range missiles.

That's something that## President Zelenskyy has repeatedly asked the# U.S. for.

And he asked again at the summit,## said that he was going to bring that up# with President Biden in their one-on-one.

And so it was significant that the president# appeared to float that as all of this, Amna, is with an eye towards the 75th# summit, annual summit, next year in Washington,## D.C., where the NATO members will be# checking in on Ukraine's status on reforms.

But in the time between now and that next summit,## they committed to Ukraine that they were# going to give them more security assistance## on intelligence-sharing, on military aid,# and on another -- other host of aid, Amna.

AMNA NAWAZ: That is our White House correspondent,## Laura Barron Lopez, reporting Laura, thank you.

Good to see you.