NATO leaders will agree next week to help modernize Ukraine’s armed forces, create a new high-level forum for consultations and reaffirm that it will join their alliance one day, the organization’s top civilian official said Friday. But the war-torn country will not start membership talks soon.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that when U.S. President Joe Biden and his counterparts meet for a two-day summit in Lithuania's capital, Vilnius, they also will agree to boost defense spending as alliance members pour weapons, ammunition and other support like uniforms and medical equipment into Ukraine.

They had hoped to welcome Sweden as the next member of the world’s biggest security organization, but Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has raised strong objections and it’s unclear if they can be overcome in time. Even if so, Sweden’s accession would become official only in coming months.

"For 500 days, Moscow has brought death and destruction to the heart of Europe, seeking to destroy Ukraine and divide NATO," Stoltenberg told reporters Friday. "At the summit, we will make Ukraine even stronger, and set out a vision for its future."

Stoltenberg said the leaders "will agree a multi-year program of assistance to ensure full interoperability between the Ukrainian armed forces and NATO."

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The summit starts Tuesday. A NATO-Ukraine Council – where crisis talks can be held – will be established. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskky will attend the council's first meeting in Vilnius on Wednesday

Stoltenberg said the leaders "will reaffirm that Ukraine will become a member of NATO and unite on how to bring Ukraine closer to its goal." NATO first pledged that Ukraine would become a member one day in 2008, but things have evolved little since then.

Asked when, or how, Ukraine might join, Stoltenberg said that the "most important thing now is to ensure that Ukraine prevails." The U.S., Germany and some other allies consider that Ukraine should not be invited in while it’s at war, so as not to encourage Russia to widen the conflict.

With Ukraine imploring its Western partners for more weapons and ammunition, and national military stocks among its partners depleting, NATO is encouraging the 31 allies to boost their military budgets.

In 2014, NATO allies pledged to move toward spending 2% of GDP on defense by 2024. In Vilnius, they will make 2% the minimum, but will not set any time frame for achieving that goal, NATO officials say. Under new estimates released Friday, only 11 of the allies will reach the 2% goal in 2023.

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But Stoltenberg said that good progress is being made. "In 2023, there will be a real increase of 8.3% across European Allies and Canada. This is the biggest increase in decades," he said, adding that European Allies and Canada will have invested over $450 billion extra since 2014.

Question marks remain about Sweden’s future at NATO. It abandoned a long history of military nonalignment last year to seek protection under the organization’s security umbrella after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Erdogan appears set to steal the summit limelight. He accuses Sweden of being too lenient toward groups that Ankara says pose a security threat, including militant Kurdish groups and people associated with a 2016 coup attempt.

Hungary is also holding up approval of Sweden’s candidacy, but has never clearly stated publicly what its concerns are. NATO officials expect that Hungary will follow suit once Turkey lifts its objections.

The other 29 allies, Stoltenberg and Sweden have all said the country has done enough to satisfy Turkey’s demands. Sweden has changed its constitution, modified anti-terror laws and lifted an arms embargo on Turkey, among other concessions.

NATO requires the unanimous approval of all 31 members to expand.

Stoltenberg, Erdogan and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson will hold talks in Vilnius on Monday in an attempt to break the deadlock. Despite the mounting pressure, Turkey's president stood firm Friday.

"We are ready to embrace anyone who is loyal to the alliance’s core values," Erdogan said at a graduation ceremony for military students. "We do not hesitate to show our reaction toward those who protect terrorists and do not take the necessary measures in the fight against terrorism."

FIRST ON FOX—New York's Republican congressional delegation is calling on Democratic New York City Mayor Eric Adams to change the city's proposed policy on coal- and wood-fired pizza ovens, saying it would effectively eliminate "the perfect New York slice."

The letter, signed by Reps. Mike Lawler, Elise Stefanik, Marcus Molinaro, Nick LaLota, Andrew Garbarino and Anthony D’Esposito, warns that the new emissions mandate would lead to the closure of "treasured" New York pizzerias, "causing people to lose their jobs and negatively impacting the local economy."

The city’s proposal to slice carbon emissions from the Big Apple’s historic coal- and wood-burning ovens by 75% drew significant backlash from pizzerias, which may have to buy emission-control devices to comply.

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"As an Italian American and New Yorker, this attempt at wrecking a New York classic is beyond the pale," said Lawler. "New York City Democrats appear ready to stop at nothing in their endless crusade to be the most ‘progressive’ and ‘green’ city in the nation, common sense be damned."

"I’m a proud New Yorker, Italian American, love pizza and worked eight years making pizza in a small pizza shop," said Molinaro. "I’m disgusted that New York City is going after pizza shops for no legitimate reason." 

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) said last month that it was "a common sense rule" that helps residents "breathe healthy air." 

The DEP also says that "wood- and coal-fired stoves are among the largest contributors of harmful pollutants in neighborhoods with poor air quality."

However, the lawmakers argue that the "stringent air filtration guidelines" have a "minute impact" on air quality in comparison to larger polluters in New York City. 

"There are a host of ways to reduce air pollution without financially assaulting pizzerias and their owners," said Lawler.

Restaurants can apply to be exempt from the proposed mandate, but they must prove that they have a hardship.

"New York City Democrats are once again doing everything in their power to drive out small businesses from the Big Apple through radical policies like forcing mom and pop pizza shops to sacrifice their traditional pizza ovens in the name of progressive environmental policies," said D’Esposito.

"Coal-and wood-burning ovens have been integral to the traditional pizza-making process for centuries, with some brick ovens dating back as far as the Roman Empire," the letter states. "These ovens impart a unique flavor profile and texture that many patrons seek and appreciate."

Pizzeria owners and chefs have echoed this concern, telling Fox News that the mandate would alter the quality and taste of the Big Apple’s world-famous pizzas.

"You have to cook with an open flame. When you cook it in a different kind of oven, you won't get the results that will produce a Neapolitan-style pizza," Brooklyn pizzeria owner Paul Giannone told Fox News Digital.

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Famous pizzerias such as Lombardi’s, Joe's, Rubirosa, Prince Street pizza and Grimaldi’s all use coal ovens.

The proposed rules would impact pizza ovens made before 2016, and business owners would be required to install emission filters, which can cost up to $20,000, depending on the appliance.

The restaurant also must hire "a professional engineer or registered architect" to evaluate the "emission controls." 

Adams addressed the backlash to the environmental regulations at a June event, where he called for people to weigh in on the proposed rule.

"Right now we are at the public moment where the public can weigh in. Let the public weigh in, let the public give their thoughts, and then we'll make the final determination. We don't want to hurt businesses in the city, and we don't want to hurt the environment," Adams said.

"I think nothing is more clearer to all of us as what this environment is going through after two weeks ago with the fire in Canada," the mayor added. "That smoke is the type of smoke that we're talking about. So let's see if we can find a way to get the resolutions we're looking for." 

The city said it consulted environmental justice communities, restaurateurs and pollution experts in its decision-making process.

New York City has long regulated emissions, becoming the first U.S. city to ban natural gas connections in new buildings in 2021.