A two-day NATO summit kicked off Tuesday with heads of state and government gathering for a meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Vilnius.
In his opening remarks, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Finland, attending the NATO summit for the first time as a member, and Sweden, which he described as a future member of the 31-member military alliance.
"Today, we will make many decisions," Stoltenberg said.
"We will also take bold steps to further strengthen our deterrence and defense, including new plans … for the defense of the New Atlantic area. And we will agree more ambitious defense investment pledge," he added.
![November 2025 in photos: New Year at GUM, the "City of Living Stories," and autumn scenes](https://en.vestikavkaza.ru/upload2/s400xfull/2025-12-02/1764706769692f49d1538777.83780174.webp "November 2025 in photos: New Year at GUM, the "City of Living Stories," and autumn scenes")
!["City of Living Stories" Museum commemorating 1941 Parade starts on Red Square](https://en.vestikavkaza.ru/upload2/s400xfull/2025-11-11/1762891681691397a1526b44.05389807.webp ""City of Living Stories" Museum commemorating 1941 Parade starts on Red Square")
