Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the NATO leaders his country needed more weapons and money to defend itself against Russia, warning that Moscow's ambitions did not stop at Ukraine.

At the summit, President Joe Biden announced additional U.S. land, air and sea deployments across Europe, including a permanent army headquarters in Poland, in response to threats from Russia.

Joe Biden has announced that the US will increase its military forces across Europe with extra land, sea and air deployments, as he gathered with Nato leaders for a two-day summit in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Arriving at the meeting in Madrid, the US president announced the stationing of a brigade of 3,000 combat troops in Romania, two squadrons of F-35 fighters in the UK and two navy destroyers in Spain.

“The US and its allies are going to step up. We’re stepping up. We’re proving that Nato is more needed now than it ever has been,” Biden said in a short statement he read out before the first summit meeting began.

Biden’s announcement is expected to be followed by further commitments by Nato members to a strengthening of forces on the alliance’s eastern flank, which was being discussed by Nato leaders on Wednesday morning.

Nato expansion for Sweden and Finland 'destabilising' - Russian minister

Russia views plans by Sweden and Finland to join Nato "negatively", according to comments from the country's Deputy Foreign Minister reported by Interfax.

Sergei Ryabkov is also quoted by Russian state news agency RIA as saying that the expansion of Nato is "destabilising" and does not add to the security of members of the alliance.