The US president, Donald Trump, has said Russia and Ukraine may need to 'fight for a while' to assist efforts to bring peace, likening the two countries to bickering and fighting children. Trump was speaking alongside the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who was visiting the White House. Trump said: 'Sometimes you're better off letting them fight for a while and then pulling them apart. And I gave that analogy to Putin yesterday'

• Trump says it may be better to let Ukraine and Russia ‘fight for a while’