Summary

  • UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer says "Britain belongs on the world stage" as he addresses the Nato Summit in Washington

  • He says he has given a "clear message" to Nato on the UK's "unwavering commitment" to collective security and Ukraine during his first foreign trip abroad since becoming prime minister last week

  • Asked about an earlier slip-up by US President Joe Biden, in which he called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky "President Putin", Starmer says Biden "deserves credit" for everything achieved at the summit

  • Earlier, President Zelensky urged Nato leaders to "drop all limitations" on Ukraine striking military targets in Russia, using Western weapons, "if we want to win"

  • He said the defence alliance's help is crucial for curbing Russia's "appetite for aggression"

  • Earlier Biden announced a new security package for Kyiv

  • German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hailed the US plan to put long-range missiles in Germany, calling it a necessary step to secure the country and Nato territory

  • The agreement - which was made public during the summit in Washington - will see the US deploy a variety of missile systems on German soil from 2026 onwards

Zelensky asks Nato to 'lift limitations' to target Russia

Live Reporting

Edited by Emily Atkinson and Alex Therrien

  1. Nato vows 'irreversible path' to Ukraine membership

    Nato Secretary-General Jens StoltenbergEPA

    Let’s take a look at one of the big developments from the summit yesterday.

    The ongoing invasion of Ukraine was top of the agenda, and a declaration agreed by all members said that Russia "remains the most significant and direct threat" to security.

    Nato members pledged their support for Ukraine to join the bloc, saying it was an "irreversible path" to membership.

    They didn't agree to a formal timeline as to when that membership may happen, but the 32 Nato members said they had "unwavering" support for Ukraine's war effort.

    They also pledged more aid, committing 40bn euros ($43.3bn, £33.7bn) in the next year, including F-16 fighter jets and air defence support.

    Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said: "Support to Ukraine is not charity - it is in our own security interest."

    Read more here.

  2. Biden's Nato speech to be 'biggest test' since debate

    Joe Biden walking off stage at NatoEPA

    As we’ve mentioned, US President Joe Biden will hold a press conference at the end of the Nato summit this evening.

    The BBC's North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher says it will be Biden’s "biggest unscripted test" since his botched presidential debate two weeks ago against Donald Trump.

    Biden's re-election bid has cropped up during the Nato summit - with some influential Democrats calling for him to quit the race over fears he is too old to perform against Trump. Biden has insisted he's staying in the race.

    Responding to a question from the BBC yesterday, Stoltenberg refused to be drawn on whether domestic politics in the US could impact the alliance.

    Read Anthony Zurcher’s analysis piece, here.

  3. What's coming up today?

    Leaders attend a working session during the NATO Summit in Washington, DC, USA, 10 July 2024EPA

    World leaders will arrive for the final day of the Nato summit in Washington DC around 07:30 ET (12:30 BST).

    US President Joe Biden will take part in the second working session of the Nato summit in the afternoon.

    That will be followed by a meeting between leaders of the North Atlantic Council and Indo-Pacific Partners and the EU, where we’ll also hear from the bloc’s Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.

    Biden and Stoltenberg will then attend a meeting of the Nato-Ukraine council in the evening, followed by a press conference held by Stoltenberg.

    And finally, President Biden will hold a press conference at the end of the summit. That speech is widely being seen as his biggest test since his botched debate with Donald Trump.

  4. What happened at the Nato summit yesterday?

    U.S. President Joe Biden, greets Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, as he arrives for a welcome ceremony at the NATO summit in Washington, Wednesday, July 10, 2024.Reuters

    The invasion of Ukraine was top of the agenda at the summit yesterday, with Nato members supporting an "irreversible path" to future membership of the bloc for Ukraine.

    Nato members also committed €40bn ($43.3bn, £33.7bn) in aid to Ukraine in the next year, including F-16 fighter jets and air defence support.

    As we've mentioned, members delivered their harshest remarks yet on Beijing's involvement in Russia's war against Ukraine, prompting Beijing to tell the bloc to stop "provoking confrontation and rivalry".

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with world leaders at the summit, including his first with Keir Starmer since he became UK prime minister.

    US President Joe Biden joined Starmer in reaffirming support for Ukraine at the summit - but it was somewhat overshadowed by calls from some Democrats for Biden to quit the US presidential race.

  5. China rejects Nato's claim of enabling Russia’s war in Ukraine

    Welcome back to our live coverage of the Nato summit in Washington DC.

    China has fiercely rejected accusations from Nato that it has been a "decisive enabler” of Russia’s war in Ukrain, with its "large-scale support for Russia’s defence industrial base".

    China’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Lin Jian, urged Nato to reflect on the "root causes" of the war and take actions to ease the situation, instead of "shifting the blame to others".

    The summit has mostly focused on support for Ukraine but China’s role has come under the spotlight.

    Today, Nato members will hold talks about China with leaders of several Asia-Pacific countries.

    Stay with us for live updates.