2014 NATO Summit in Wales LIVE UPDATES

2014 NATO Summit in Wales LIVE UPDATES

World leaders are arriving for the NATO Summit held at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport. The summit has been marked by protests and one of the largest security operations to ever take place on British soil. Ukraine and Islamic State will top the agenda.

Thursday, September 4

21:42 GMT:

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said NATO wants a political solution to the Ukrainian crisis and is ready to talk to Russia, but at the same time it is prepared to use more sanctions.
"We're also prepared to lend weight to our political demands by imposing further sanctions," Merkel said at the NATO summit in Wales on Thursday. "But the message is that we want a political solution; we and especially the Ukrainian president are, of course, prepared to speak to Russia about
that."
Merkel added that all NATO members are unanimous in thinking that the Ukrainian crisis will not be solved with military action.

21:18 GMT:

The United States is planning a new round of sanctions aimed at the Russian Federation over the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, the White House said on Thursday, and the European Union is reportedly on the verge of doing the same.

21:17 GMT:

NATO has pledged some 15 million euros to Ukraine, with several of the bloc’s member states pledging separate bilateral support and military cooperation, involving medical supplies as well as lethal and nonlethal military equipment.
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen announced a "comprehensive and tailored package of measures" including the donation of 15 million euros “through NATO” at a joint news conference with the Ukrainian president on Thursday on the first day of the NATO summit in Wales.

16:17 GMT:

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16:09 GMT:

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16:07 GMT:

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the alliance calls on Russia “to step back from confrontation and take the path of peace”.
He said “Ukraine has been an active and reliable partner to NATO over many years” and that “we highly value our partnership”.
“NATO stands with Ukraine” he said, and NATO “support their democratic reforms”.
Rasmussen added NATO “will help build a strong modern army” in Ukraine, and that member states “are determined to make it even stronger today and in the future”.

The public part of the session has now ended.

16:01 GMT:

RT footage of anti-NATO protests.

15:53 GMT:

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the sacrifices of NATO and Afghan troops have improved global security and that Afghanistan is no longer a safe haven for international terrorist.
Calling it an “unprecedented” effort, Rasmussen said the ISAF mission will come to an end in December, when 350,000 Afghan police and troops will take over security.
He said the “nature and scope” of the NATO mission in Afghanistan will change, but that the alliance will “stand ready to launch a new non-combat mission” to train and assist once legal framework is in place.
NATO is willing to assist financially as part of broader international commitment until the end of 2017, he said.
Afghanistan, too, will increase its own financial commitment, with “transparency, accountably and openness”.
“Most Afghans don’t want to return to the dark days,” said Rasmussen, who said NATO “will support a stabled united and democratic state” that promotes the rule of law and human rights.
This was the key, he said, to regional stability and the best opportunity for Afghans to gain a better future with security.

15:41 GMT:

David Cameron said he will not rule out air strikes against Islamic State, which is holding a British hostage.
Asked by the BBC whether strikes could be launched without Syria’s approval, he said President Assad's government was “illegitimate”.

15:35 GMT:

European Council president, Herman Van Rompuy, has urged Afghanistan’s two presidential candidates to “put the interests of the country first and redouble their efforts in forming an inclusive Government of National Unity. The message coming from both candidates is encouraging.”