Nato summit live: China accuses alliance of seeking security at expense of others after Ukraine row

Also, in case you are catching up on yesterday’s key events from the Nato summit, here is a summary of the top lines via my colleagues on Wednesday’s live blog:

Summary from day two of the Nato summit on Wednesday:

• The first F-16 fighter jets are on their way to Ukraine and will be flying sorties this summer, according to a statement from the Dutch and Danish governments. Dick Schoof, the prime minister of the Netherlands, and Mette Frederiksen, his counterpart from Denmark, said the “transfer process” of F-16s to Kyiv was under way after months of pilot training and political negotiations.

• The long-awaited supply of F-16s is part of what Nato’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, said would be “a substantial package” of support for Ukraine, which includes the donation of four Patriot air defence systems, Nato-led training for Ukraine’s troops – and a commitment that Kyiv’s eventual path to Nato membership is “irreversible”.

• Nato allies also criticised China, with stronger language than used before, for assisting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, calling it a “decisive enabler” of the war by supporting Moscow in its “no limits” partnership, and supplying components for military equipment and chemicals for explosives.

• Keir Starmer, the UK’s prime minister, said his new government will stick with plans to spend at least £3bn every year on military support for Ukraine for “as long as is it takes” in its conflict with Russia. After his first official bilateral talks with the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, at the Nato summit in Washington, Starmer confirmed the military aid would continue until at least 2030-31.

• Britain will be “the leading European nation” in Nato under a Labour government, the new defence secretary, John Healey, pledged – though spending may have to rise significantly if the UK is to remain ahead of Germany.

• The US will deploy long-range weapons to Germany in 2026 in an effort to demonstrate its commitment to Nato and European defence, the two countries announced.

• Joe Biden, the US president, promised to defend Ukraine against the Russian invasion in remarks to Nato leaders. “We can and will defend every inch of Nato territory and we will do it together,” Biden told Nato leaders as they opened the first work session.

Joe Biden has appeared to back Keir Starmer’s ambition for the UK having a closer relationship with the European Union as the leaders held their first bilateral talks at the White House.

The US president called the US and the UK the “best of allies” as he met the prime minister in the Oval Office, describing Britain as the “knot” that tied the transatlantic relationship together.

He suggested the closer the UK was with Europe, the tighter the knot would be. “I kind of see you guys as the knot tying the transatlantic alliance together, the closer you are with Europe,” he told Starmer.

Biden has long had a close interest in Brexit, repeatedly warning that peace in Northern Ireland must not be jeopardised as a result of complications caused by the UK’s decision to leave the EU.

Starmer has used the Nato summit in Washington to underline the UK’s commitment to the alliance, as well as to Ukraine, confirming that he will stick with plans to spend at least £3bn every year on military support to Kyiv for “as long as is it takes” in its conflict with Russia.

But he is also using the summit to build relationships with European leaders as he tries to seal an EU-UK security pact, and has been joined on the trip by Nick Thomas-Symonds, his minister for European relations.

At the bilateral meeting, Starmer congratulated Biden on hosting the 75th anniversary of the summit, hailing “a bigger Nato, a stronger Nato and a Nato with the resolve that we need”.

“The special relationship is so important. It’s forged in difficult circumstances, endured for so long, and stronger now than ever. I’m very pleased to be able to come so early in government to recommit to Nato, to recommit to the special relationship and to discuss these affairs with you.”

China accused Nato on Thursday of seeking security at the expense of others and told the alliance not to bring the same “chaos” to Asia, reports the Associated Press (AP).

The statement by a foreign ministry spokesperson came a day after Nato labeled China a “decisive enabler” of Russia’s war against Ukraine.

“Nato hyping up China’s responsibility on the Ukraine issue is unreasonable and has sinister motives,” spokesperson Lin Jian said at a daily briefing. He maintained that China has a fair and objective stance on the Ukraine issue.

China has broken with the United States and its European allies over the war in Ukraine, refusing to condemn Russia’s invasion. Its trade with Russia has grown since the invasion, at least partially offsetting the impact of western sanctions.

Nato, in a communique issued at a summit in Washington, said China has become a enabler of the war through its “no-limits partnership” with Russia and its large-scale support for Russia’s defence industrial base.

According to the AP, Lin said that China’s trade with Russia is legitimate and reasonable and based on World Trade Organization rules.

He said that Nato’s “so-called security” comes at the cost of the security of other countries. China has backed Russia’s contention that Nato expansion posed a threat to Russia.

China has expressed concern about Nato’s budding relationships with countries in the region. Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea sent their leaders or deputies to the Nato summit this week.

“China urges Nato to … stop interfering in China’s internal politics and smearing China’s image and not create chaos in the Asia-Pacific after creating turmoil in Europe,” Lin said.

The AP reports that Chinese troops are in Belarus this week for joint drills near the border with Poland, a Nato member. The exercises are the first-ever with Belarus, an ally of Russia.

Lin described the joint training as normal military exchange and cooperation that is not directed at any particular country.

Welcome to the latest Nato summit blog. It is 10.40am in London, where I’m blogging from, and 5.40am in Washington where, later, the leaders will arrive for the third day of the Nato summit.

China has accused Nato of seeking security at the expense of others and told the alliance not to bring the same “chaos” to Asia.

The Associated Press report that the statement from a foreign ministry spokesperson on Thursday came a day after Nato labelled China a “decisive enabler” of Russia’s war against Ukraine.

The spokesperson urged Nato to stop interfering in China’s internal politics and smearing China’s image. China has broken with the US and its European allies over the war in Ukraine, refusing to condemn Russia’s invasion. Its trade with Russia has grown since the invasion, at least partially offsetting the impact of western sanctions.

More on that in a moment, but first here is how the agenda looks for today:

• 7.30am EDT/12.30pm BST – Leaders arrive.

• 10am EDT/3pm BST – Meeting of the North Atlantic Council at the level of heads of state and government, Indo-Pacific partners and the EU. Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg will give opening remarks.

• 2pm EDT/7pm BST – Meeting of the Nato-Ukraine Council at the level of heads of state and government. Again public opening remarks will be given by Stoltenberg.

• 4.30pm EDT/9.30pm BST – Stoltenberg will give a press conference to media.