British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told European Union leaders at a dinner on Monday that he wanted to work together to expand the continent's defences, including greater cooperation on missions and the cost of rearmament.

Sir Keir Starmer addressed EU leaders as he became the first UK prime minister to join the European Council members since Brexit.

At a meeting with EU heads of state in Brussels on Monday, the prime minister will challenge Britain’s European allies to ramp up their defence spending to keep the continent safe from Vladimir Putin’