Ads on buses at the NATO summit are shaming delegates for not giving F-16s to Ukraine

• Buses in Vilnius have been emblazoned with slogans encouraging NATO to back Ukraine more.
• The Lithuanian capital is hosting the NATO conference.

Buses in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius have been emblazoned with slogans encouraging NATO delegates gathered there to increase support for Ukraine.

Buses carrying delegates to and from the conference venue showed the slogan "while you are waiting for this bus, Ukraine is waiting to become a NATO member," reported CNN, in a reference to NATO members hesitating in admitting Ukraine to the alliance.

Other pictures showed buses with the message "while you were waiting for this bus, Ukraine is waiting for F-16s," referring to the US fighter jets Ukraine has long requested.

NATO member states have committed to training Ukrainian pilots with the jets, but have not committed to providing any actual planes.

The long lead-time involved in transferring any planes mean that it would be many months before Ukraine could use the jets, even if they were approved immediately.

In the meantime, Ukraine is feeling the lack of modern aircraft against Russia, which has a far superior air force.

NATO members have sought to project an image of unity and defiance at the summit in response to Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

But Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has criticised the 31-member alliance for not producing a clear timetable for his country becoming a member, and in June criticised allies for delayed F-16 training schedules, reported Ukraine's Pravda.

Ukraine has launched a counteroffensive aimed at driving back Russian forces in south and east Ukraine that has so far made modest gains.

Lithuania was part of the Soviet Union and gained independence around the same time it collapsed.

A NATO and EU member, it has long warned about the threat posed by Russian aggression in eastern Europe and has provided Ukraine with weapons and funds to battle Russia.