Sir Julian Lewis: Coupled with the decision of the leader of the free world to describe Ukraine as the aggressor in this war is the news today that America may be considering no longer supplying the Supreme Allied Commander Europe to NATO. Is the Defence Secretary looking forward as much as the rest of us are to hearing what President Trump has to say, if he comes to this Parliament in September, about how it is that the system that kept the peace in Europe for 50 years after the second world war is no longer applicable for the future?

[The Secretary of State for Defence (John Healey): The right hon. Gentleman and I will both look forward to the President’s visit to this country when it is staged. I know that he is so experienced in this area, but I caution him against chasing these most recent comments, or regarding them as somehow profound. I would say that the US, led by President Trump – and this has been reinforced by Defence Secretary Hegseth – has rightly challenged Europe to step up on defence spending, on European security and on Ukraine.]

Sir Julian Lewis indicated assent.

[John Healey: The right hon. Gentleman is nodding his head. But Europe and other nations stepping up does not mean that the US is stepping away. When our Prime Minister was in the White House with President Trump, they had – in public and on camera – a detailed discussion about NATO, in which President Trump reaffirmed his total commitment to article 5 of the NATO treaty.]