Day 500 of the Invasion of Ukraine: Erdogan Supported Kyiv for NATO

Day 500 of the invasion of Ukraine. Summary of key events in the last 24 hours:

• Erdogan supported Ukraine for NATO
• Biden signed authorization to transfer cluster munitions to Ukraine
• Spain and the UK against sending cluster bombs to help Ukraine
• ISW: Ukraine has achieved tactical success in the Bakhmut area
• Seven dead after Russian shelling in the city of Lyman, Donetsk region
• Russia wants UN Security Council meeting over the Nord Stream explosion
• Zelensky from Snake Island: ''Thank you to the soldiers for these 500 days''

Erdogan supported Ukraine for NATO

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan supported Ukraine's NATO membership ambition during his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Istanbul and assured that Turkey will continue to make efforts to achieve peace between Ukraine and Russia.

"Ukraine deserves NATO membership. I have repeatedly defended the position that in a just peace, there will be no losers. Despite the differences between the countries, our most sincere desire is to return to peace efforts."

Erdogan noted that negotiations with Moscow and Kyiv on the exchange of prisoners of war are continuing. According to him, Russian President Vladimir Putin may visit Turkey next month, when this issue will be raised again.

The Turkish president added that Ankara supports the two-year extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, expecting the agreement to last at least another three months after it expires on July 17. Grain deliveries are carried out according to an agreement signed...