The Prime Minister will travel to Brussels today to forge closer ties with the EU.

Sir Keir will urge EU countries to should ramp up military aid for Ukraine.

He will call on them to follow UK and US sanctions on Russia's faltering economy and praise Mr Trump's threat of further restrictions, which he will claim has "rattled" President Putin.

Downing Street said Sir Keir and Mr Scholz "agreed on the importance of maintaining the momentum towards an even stronger bilateral partnership".

A spokeswoman said: "The Prime Minister hosted German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at Chequers this afternoon.

"The leaders began by reflecting on the progress made between the UK and Germany in recent months, including through the signing of the Trinity House Agreement on defence, and joint action plan on irregular migration. They agreed on the importance of maintaining the momentum towards an even stronger bilateral partnership.

"Turning to the situation in Ukraine, the Prime Minister updated on his recent visit and reiterated that it was important to ensure the country was in the strongest possible position in the coming months, so that peace could be achieved through strength.

"Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine had underscored the importance of scaling up and co-ordinating defence production across Europe, the leaders agreed.

"Updating on the Government's strategic defence review, which would be published later this year, the Prime Minister said it would encompass the lessons learned in Ukraine and the need to outmanoeuvre Putin's ongoing aggression and hostile activity across Europe."