北約在威爾士舉行峯會

World leaders are gathering Thursday in Wales for the start of a two-day NATO summit expected to focus on the conflict in Ukraine and the threat of Islamic extremists in Syria and Iraq.

In the Welsh city of Newport, NATO is expected to debate formation of a rapid response military force capable of deploying on short notice to trouble spots in eastern Europe.

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko is due to attend as a non-member invitee, and officials say he will meet with Western leaders on the sidelines of the gathering.

Russia, which has strongly opposed any NATO presence near its borders, has denounced the idea of a rapid response unit. Earlier this week, Russia said it will review its own military strategies in eastern Europe if NATO endorses creation of the force.

Also at the summit, NATO leaders are expected to discuss strategies for countering the threat from the Islamic State militant group that has overrun large parts of northern Iraq and eastern Syria.

The U.S. has been carrying out airstrikes against the group in Iraq, while other alliance members have begun providing humanitarian aid.世界領導人星期四準備參加在威爾士舉行的爲期兩天的北約峯會，預計此次會議將重點討論烏克蘭衝突以及敘利亞和伊拉克境內的伊斯蘭極端分子威脅等問題。

預計北約將在威爾士城市紐波特商討組建一支快速反應部隊的事宜，這支部隊應能迅速部署在烏克蘭東部的熱點地區。

烏克蘭總統波羅申科將應邀作爲非北約成員列席會議。有關官員說，波羅申科將在會議期間非正式會晤西方領導人。

俄羅斯指責北約有關組建快速反應部隊的設想。俄羅斯一向強烈反對北約在其邊境附近進行任何活動。本星期早些時候，俄羅斯表示，如果北約決定組建快速反應部隊，俄羅斯就將重新審議其東歐戰略。

在此次峯會期間，預計北約領導人將討論應對伊斯蘭國激進分子威脅的戰略。伊斯蘭國激進分子佔領了伊拉克北部和敘利亞東部的大片地區。
美國對伊拉克境內的伊斯蘭國激進分子進行空襲，同時其他北約成員國開始提供人道救援。