One of Vladimir Putin's top propagandists has issued a WW3 threat to Europe. "Europe is doomed to war with Russia," according to the presenter of Putin's state-run TV channel. Vladimir Solovyov, the anchor of Russia-1, named Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron, and Friedrich Merz and warned that the Kremlin would need to launch a "preventative strike" to stop NATO allies as the bloc rapidly rearms.

"They won't stop until we conduct a destructive preventative strike", he said. Solovyov, 61, who has presented Evening with Vladimir Solovyov since 2012 branded the new German administration "Nazis".

"All these German Nazi dirtbags are lying", he said. "They've returned to power in Germany, following in their grandfathers' footsteps. They've taken over the Reich; it will be theirs. Then the traditional fate of the Nazis awaits them; we will destroy them", he added.

Earlier this week, the Pentagon halted shipments of US Patriot air defence systems and other precision weapons to Kyiv amid fears that US stockpiles were running low.

The White House said it had been done “to put America’s interests first following a Department of Defence review”. It comes as Ukraine faces an uptick in missile and drone attacks from Russia, with US weapons playing a vital role in defending the skies of Ukrainian cities.

Criticising the move, Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State during Trump’s first presidential term, said in an X: “Ukraine has never asked America to send in the 82nd airborne; they’ve asked for the weapons to defend their homeland and people from Russia attacks.

“Letting Russia win this war would be a unmitigated disaster for the American people and our security around the world”.