US defence secretary suggests cutting number of American troops in Europe could even be part of a deal with Russia

• Europe live – latest updates

The US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, has said “everything is on the table” to bring peace to Ukraine and suggested reducing the number of American troop levels in Europe could be part of any deal.

European leaders have been left reeling by a series of abrupt US moves since Wednesday in relation to the Ukraine war and the continent’s security, which has been underpinned by the US since Nato was formed at the end of the second world war.