Ukraine Russia war live: Nato summit to begin as Zelensky hits out at Modi for hugging Putin during visit

The Chinese military has begun joint drills in Belarus that are being held over the next 11 days in Brest, close to the border with Nato state Poland.

The joint military exercises by two of Russia’s most important allies come after Belarus became the 10th member of the China-led Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) during its 24th meeting of heads of council in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Belarus’s government said the drills “will allow … the laying of a foundation for further development of Belarusian-Chinese relations in the field of joint training of troops”.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy will deliver an address at the Ronald Reagan Institute in Washington as he looks to drum up more support for the war against Russia’s invasion during this week’s Nato summit.

“President Reagan understood the Soviet Union and Russia. He knew that free countries must stand together with confidence whenever tyranny is on the move,” Oksana Markarova, Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, said.

Nato is not expected to invite Ukraine to become a member at this year’s 9 July – 11 July gathering. Many Nato countries want to state that Ukraine’s path to membership is “irreversible” but alliance members are still wrangling over the summit declaration.

Russia’s deepening military cooperation with North Korea has underlined the need for Japan to forge closer ties with Nato, the country’s leader warned.

Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida also expressed concern over Beijing’s alleged role in aiding Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

“The securities of the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific are inseparable, and Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and its deepened military cooperation with North Korea are strong reminders of that,” Mr Kishida said.

“Japan is determined to strengthen its cooperation with Nato and its partners,” he added.