Guy Birchall

Donald Tusk said the European Council had agreed that in five years, Europe ’must be, in terms of army, weapons, technology, clearly stronger than Russia.’

Ekrem Imamoglu, a high profile rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was arrested on Wednesday on corruption charges.

The 27-nation bloc had planned to introduce its first round of tariffs on items such as American whiskey from the start of April.

Senior military figures from a variety of countries will meet just outside London on Thursday to discuss the plans moving into an ‘operational phase.’

Brussels announced its Steel and Metals Action Plan in a bid to prevent the continent being flooded with steel diverted from the American market.

The Italian prime minister also spoke out in support of Trump’s proposed cease-fire between Russia and Ukraine.

Russia’s envoy talked rare earths and space tech opportunities. However, businesses looking to return to Russia should not expect bargain prices, Putin said.

The quad of NATO states have said that the threat posed by Russia has forced them to reassess their view on the use of the weapons.

Saakashvili and his defense team have rejected the charges and sentences, handed down at Tbilisi City Court, as politically motivated and illegal.

Police have denied using the acoustic device after 100,000 protesters descended on the capital over the weekend.