"Ukraine's Southern Counteroffensive Advances as NATO Meets Amidst 500+ Days of Russia-Ukraine War"

NATO leaders are set to meet in Lithuania for a summit where the war in Ukraine will be a key topic of discussion. President Biden's support for Sweden's entry into NATO and the possibility of Ukrainian membership are also important issues. Meanwhile, a deal allowing Ukrainian grain shipments from Black Sea ports is set to expire, with Russia threatening to back out if its trade terms aren't met. In other developments, Russian President Putin held talks with the Wagner Group mercenary force, Ukraine marked the 500th day of the war, and the US is providing controversial cluster bombs to Ukraine.