Europe must be prepared to deter Russia as the “shadow of war ” looms, a UK minister has warned.

Armed forces minister Al Carns said countries need to "increase our lethality" and stop relying on the US for military protection.

It comes after Nato secretary general Mark Rutte said Europe was "Russia's next target" and warned countries to prepare for a "scale of war our grandparents or great-grandparents endured".

Precarious peace efforts surrounding a US-led plan to end the war in Ukraine are ongoing, with Sir Keir Starmer insisting US President Donald Trump and his European counterparts are aligned on what they want for Kyiv.

But relations between Europe and the US are strained after the Trump administration's national security strategy accused European officials of holdin

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