We've just heard from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte, as they discussed support for Ukraine, a new UK-EU partnership and tariffs.

The pair spoke at a press conference in Brussels, where Starmer is also attending an informal defence summit - which marks the first time a British prime minister has attended a gathering of EU leaders since Brexit.

We're about to close this page, but head over to our live page on US tariffs for all the latest updates from that part of the world and dive into our piece on why Starmer won't choose between the US and the EU for more on his Brussels trip.

Talking alongside Nato chief Mark Rutte earlier, Keir Starmer said a new partnership between the UK and the EU will bolster NATO.

"We can't be commentators when it comes to matters of peace on our continent," he says.

Watch the moment in full here:

Vicki Young
Deputy political editor

Keir Starmer treaded carefully when asked whether his attempted rapprochement with the EU might upset US President Donald Trump.

The line he'll try to stick to is that both relationships are important to the UK and there's no need to choose between them.

But if the US continues to threaten allies like Denmark and Canada, the pressure will mount on the prime minister to speak out and condemn the president.

With the threat of tariffs hanging over the UK that's not an appealing prospect.

There was an interesting question put to Starmer and Rutte a little earlier.

Asked about the severity of the current situation involving Greenland and the US (with the latter wanting to take ownership of the former from Denmark), Rutte said the best thing the West can do is to "stay united".

Pushed on whether Europe needed to consider an alliance without the US - which is a Nato member - Rutte said this could and would not work.

Starmer also said it was vitally important for the UK to work with both the US and the EU on defence and security. "We face a more volatile world" than we have in decades, he said, adding now was "not the time to pull back on either front".

• For context: Trump has said he wants the US to gain control of Greenland, having floated the prospect of buying the vast Arctic territory during his first term in 2019. He has said US control of Greenland is an "absolute necessity" for international security, but the prime ministers of Greenland and Denmark have both previously said the island was not for sale.

Here's a quick recap of what we just heard from Keir Starmer and Mark Rutte.

Starmer said:

• The UK and EU must "do all we can to support Ukraine" as the war with Russia continues - and that the UK will give more military support this year than ever before
• "Russia is seeking to... target our values"
• The UK is a "proud" Nato ally - and wants to deliver an "ambitious UK-EU partnership"

Meanwhile, Rutte, the secretary general of Nato, said:

• The world has become "increasingly more dangerous" and more investment is needed on defence now
• "To prevent war we must spend more" - and that the UK "understands this instinctively"
• "Reviving our defence industries to ramp up defence production is an absolute must"

That brief update from Keir Starmer and Mark Rutte has come to an end.

We'll bring you a quick round-up of what each said in our next post - stay tuned.

After each making brief remarks - largely around Ukraine and the desire to deliver an "ambitious" UK-EU partnership - UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte are taking a few questions from members of the media.

You can watch them give their responses by tapping the Watch live button at the top of this page.

Image source, UK Pool

Difficult questions swirl around the EUpublished at 16:14 Greenwich Mean Time

16:14 GMT

Frank Gardner
Security correspondent

Even before US President Donald Trump introduced the unwelcome complication of a looming transatlantic trade war, this EU summit, dominated by defence and security, faced some difficult questions:

• How is Europe going to fill the gap in US military aid to Ukraine in the era of Trump?
• What is the realistic minimum level of spending on defence as a percentage of GDP?
• Where should Europe source its weapons?
• From anywhere in the world or just from EU manufacturers?
• How many years is it going to take to replenish European armouries emptied by three years of funneling weapons to Ukraine?

Mark Rutte, the newish NATO chief, wants the mandatory base level of defence spending raised to 3% of GDP.

Here in Brussels today he said: "To prevent war, we must spend more". Yet some European nations, especially those comfortably distant from the Ukraine war, don’t even spend the mandated 2%. Meanwhile, Trump has said he wants it raised to 5% and has once again signalled his disdain for those Nato members he considers are not pulling their weight.

A further worry is Trump’s threat to 'buy' Greenland from the Kingdom of Denmark, a move that has severely rattled Denmark and its Scandinavian neighbours.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte are now speaking in Brussels.

Remember, you can watch watch live at the top of the page.

Chris Mason
Political editor

Image source, Getty Images

Sir Keir Starmer is in Brussels to join a gathering of European Union leaders – the first time a British prime minister has done so since Brexit.

Starmer is attending talks focused on defence and security co-operation and meeting Nato secretary general Mark Rutte.

The trip is part of what he calls a "reset" between the UK and the European Union.

The government has promised the UK will not re-join the EU's single market or customs union, or sign up to freedom of movement.

But ministers do want what they see as a better relationship on defence and security, crime and trade.

They hope to sort this out by the spring and finalise it at a UK-EU summit, possibly in April or May.

Leaders of the European Union's 27 member states are gathering for what is described as an "informal retreat" at the Palais d'Egmont in Brussels - a 16th century palace in heart of the Belgian capital.

• Read Chris's thinking in full

Barbara Tasch
Live page editor

You join us as we prepare to hear from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Nato's Secretary General Mark Rutte, who will be speaking together from Brussels.

When it begins, you'll be able to watch the joint news conference live at the top of this page.

Their meeting comes on the heels of Starmer joining European Union leaders for an informal meeting on defence and security cooperation.

Starmer has said he wants to work with European partners on keeping up pressure on Russia, as the UK explores closer ties with the EU on dealing with serious and organised crime - as well as on trade.

We won't be updating this page with regular text updates, but will flag any lines we believe to be significant.