NATO cites importance of Britain remaining in EU

Speaking ahead of talks at 10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister stressed the dual role of the EU and Nato in preserving stability in Europe and fighting the Islamic State terror group - also known as Daesh.

Mr Cameron said the talks, which come ahead of a Nato summit in Warsaw in July, were focused on the fight against terror, the migrant crisis in the Aegean, the need to “stand up strongly and firmly against Russian aggression” in Ukraine and the situations in Libya and Afghanistan.

While he did not mention the UK’s upcoming referendum on EU membership, Mr Cameron made a point of stressing the 28-nation bloc’s role in preserving stability.

Mr Cameron said: “I’m sure we will be talking about the co-operation between the EU and Nato, because these are both important for our security and for our stability, for Britain’s strength and power in the world and indeed for fighting the terrorism we face from Daesh.”

Mr Cameron said he would discuss with the former Norwegian PM “all the steps we take as Nato powers and as EU powers to make sure we keep terrorists outside of our continent and out of the UK”.

And he said he wanted to talk about how to ensure that ongoing Nato operations against people smugglers in the Aegean Sea “work and work well”.

On Russia, Mr Cameron said Nato must ensure “we stand up strongly and firmly against Russian aggression, including in Ukraine, and that we make sure that there is strong deterrence and a strong eastern presence for Nato”.