EU launches scheme to buy more weapons in Europe as Russia remains ‘a threat for the foreseeable future’

Europe needs to be able to deter potential invaders by 2030 the EU executive has said, as it launched a push to buy more weapons in the bloc and allied countries, rather than from the US.

The UK, US and Turkey will be excluded from defence contracts funded by a €150bn (£126bn) EU loans programme, unless they sign a security and defence partnership agreement with the EU.