By ELIZABETH HAIGH, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER

Published: 16:07 BST, 29 August 2026 | Updated: 16:42 BST, 29 August 2026

Sir James Cleverly is to resign as a shadow cabinet minister to run for London Mayor, saying the city has been ‘let down by Labour’.

The shadow minister for housing, communities and local government will leave his role with immediate effect.

There had been speculation around the future of the Conservative MP for Braintree’s career, and it is understood he felt the need to clarify his position prior to party conferences this autumn.

It is unknown who will replace Mr Cleverly, 56, in the shadow cabinet, ahead of an expected reshuffle next month. 

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He will be the Tory candidate to challenge Labour’s Sir Sadiq Khan, who is currently halfway through his third term as London Mayor.

Mr Khan has not yet confirmed if he intends to stand for a fourth term at the May 2028 election.

Posting on X following the announcement, Mr Cleverly wrote: ‘London needs more than an administrator. 

‘It needs a champion, someone who understands its potential and is prepared to fight for its future. That’s why I’m running to be the Conservative Candidate for London Mayor.’

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James Cleverly is to resign as a shadow cabinet minister to run for London Mayor

Mr Cleverly will challenge Labour’s Sir Sadiq Khan, who is currently halfway through his third term as London Mayor

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Mr Cleverly told party leader Kemi Badenoch of his decision on Thursday

Speaking to the Sunday Times, the former foreign secretary said he had informed party leader Kemi Badenoch on Thursday.

‘She took it well,’ he told the paper. ‘Kemi has been very gracious’.

He added in an op-ed that ‘London has been let down by Labour’ and accused Prime Minister of Andy Burnham of viewing it as a ‘cash cow’. He said he intends to make ‘a city to be proud of again’. 

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Ms Badenoch is said to be disappointed to lose a pivotal member of her cabinet but supports Mr Cleverly to be the one to take on Mr Khan. 

But she cannot officially endorse any candidate as they must win the Conservative Party’s nomination for the election.

It is not known if any other candidates intend to put themselves forward for the Tory position. 

In 2024, Susan Hall stood for the party but lost to the incumbent mayor by around 200,000 votes.

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The only candidate confirmed for the 2028 election so far is Reform’s Laila Cunningham, a Westminster City Councillor who defected from the Conservatives in June 2025. 

‘We need a credible big hitter putting themselves forward for mayor of London,’ Mr Cleverly told the newspaper. 

He added Mr Khan has been ‘asleep at the wheel’ while leading the UK’s largest city, accusing him of ‘lots of posturing’ with ‘very little delivery’.

Shadow ministers were quick to lend their support to the Essex MP. Richard Holden, shadow transport secretary said: ‘Excellent news for Londoners and the whole country.

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‘A real heavyweight in the race who’d make a superb Mayor of London for every part of our great capital city.’

Before first being elected as an MP in 2015, Mr Cleverly served on the London Assembly for eight years.

He held posts including leader of the Conservative group in the Assembly, the Mayor’s Youth Ambassador and, under Boris Johnson, Deputy Mayor.

The army reservist has been appointed to various cabinet positions under three prime ministers, including foreign and home secretary.

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Proud parents David and Victoria Beckham cheered on their son Cruz as he marked a major career milestone as he made his Reading Festival debut with his band The Breakers on Saturday. 

The youngest of the Beckham sons, 21, has had an incredible year touring the UK with his band and earlier this month they released their EP Wear & Tear. 

And after a summer touring around Europe on their luxury £16million yacht, his parents made sure to jet back from the Amalfi Coast to rainy Reading in time to watch their son play The Canopy stage at the renowned festival. 

Despite the torrential rain, the former footballer, 51, and Posh Spice, 52, were undeterred as they watched intently from the side of the stage, Victoria still donning her shades. 

Cruz’s brother Romeo, sister Harper and his girlfriend Jackie Apostel were also watching as they beamed with pride. 

A concertgoer told the Daily Mail: ‘They are all there listening and supporting Cruz and Victoria has been embracing David affectionately while watching.’ 

 And after a summer touring around Europe on their luxury £16million yacht, his parents made sure to jet back from the Amalfi Coast in time to watch their son play The Canopy stage

The youngest of the Beckham sons, 21, has had an incredible year touring the UK and playing Lollapalooza festival last month, as well as the release of the band’s EP Wear & Tear

The whole family were there to support the musician as his brother Romeo, sister Harper and girlfriend Jackie Apostel smiled while watching the performance 

Jackie also made sure to support the star as she took to her Instagram Story earlier in the day wearing a bright yellow T-shirt which read: ‘Cruz Beckham sang to me.’  

Cruz became the latest nepo baby to hit the festival stage with Liam Gallagher’s youngest son Gene, 25, performing with his band Villanelle the day prior. 

Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin’s son Moses also played with his band People I’ve Met on the Friday and Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl’s daughter Violet due to take to the stage on Sunday. 

Taking to his Instagram Story before his festival slot, Cruz shared a close up selfie as he penned: ‘Reading, I cannot wait.’ 

After Reading, Cruz and his band will be moving on to Leeds on Sunday, with a total of six shows planned to coincide with the release of the Wear & Tear EP.

The tracks are titled: Better Times, WANNABE, Seeing Red, Loneliest Boy and Wear & Tear.

Cruz, says the new EP, which he recorded with his band The Breakers, captures ‘a life lived’ – the good, the bad and all the ‘learning curves’ in between.

He added that he hopes the EP gets across the message that, despite people having different life experiences, they can still share emotions.

The singer mused: ‘We’ve been high, and low, in love and in pain, jealous, upset – we’ve lived and learned. We’ve all got our wear and tear.’

Cruz and his band embarked on their debut headline trek titled The For Your Love Tour in early 2026, playing sold-out shows across the UK and Europe before heading into a North American summer leg.

Cruz’s brother Romeo, sister Harper and his girlfriend Jackie Apostel also sat watching as they beamed with pride

The singer looked at home on the stage as he donned a denim jacket, jeans and red T-shirt 

A concertgoer told The Daily Mail: ‘They are all there listening and supporting Cruz and Victoria has been embracing David affectionately while watching’

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Romeo was dressed in a full camouflage ensemble as he joined his sister for the gig 

Harper waited patiently for her brother’s set to begin 

Cruz’s girlfriend Jackie also made sure to support the star as she took to her Instagram Story wearing a bright yellow T-shirt which read: ‘Cruz Beckham sang to me’

After Reading, Cruz and his band will be moving on to Leeds on Sunday, with a total of six shows planned to coincide with the release of the Wear & Tear EP

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Taking to his Instagram Story before his festival slot, Cruz shared a close up selfie as he penned: ‘Reading, I cannot wait’

The tour was a big moment for Cruz, who has been working up to his sold out gigs following the release of his first single, For Your Love. 

Last year Cruz performed in front of his family and friends for the first time, leaving his proud parents reduced to ‘tears of joy’. 

Proud mum Victoria was in the front row to witness her youngest son’s performance and shared a clip of him singing while playing the guitar.

Alongside the video, she gushed: ‘Wow!!! You look so happy Cruz and we couldn’t be prouder we love you @cruzbeckham xxxxxxxxxx.’

David also shared a clip of Cruz performing, admitting he had ‘tears of joy and pride’ watching his son.

At Reading on Friday night,  Oasis singer Liam‘s youngest son Gene, 25, took to the stage at the Reading music extravaganza with his band Villanelle, 26 years after his famous dad headlined. 

Shortly before Gene took to the stage, Moses Martin, the 20-year-old son of Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow, took to the stage with his indie-pop band People I’ve Met at the Reading music extravaganza for a 35-minute set 27 years after his father sang there with Coldplay.

The bereaved parents of a 26-year-old Treasury worker are asking questions about her manager after she took her own life last year.

Chloe Moffat died by suicide on May 20, 2025, one day after an anonymous complaint was made about her.

Moffat, who worked as a personal assistant in the government department, had an ‘exemplary record’, an inquest heard earlier this month, and was in line for a promotion after receiving a bonus for her work.

However, following a meeting about the complaint, Moffat became ‘distressed’ upon learning she had been accused of sharing sensitive information about her colleagues.

She had not been informed in advance what the meeting would be about, nor was she reassured that it was ‘unlikely’ she’d lose her job of three years or permitted to have a friend or colleague present for support.

A coroner then ruled that the Treasury had ‘materially contributed’ to Moffat’s death by failing to follow its own HR protocols.

Grieving parents Anne and David have since spoken out, wanting to know why their daughter was ‘ambushed’ by her manager over ‘office gossip’.

They said Moffat assumed the meeting she was called in for on May 19 would be a routine chat with her line manager.

Instead, she was also met by a senior manager who informed her of the allegations, which involved discussing salaries, a co-worker’s new job, and a relationship between two members of staff.

The civil servant was locked out of her emails shortly after and instructed not to discuss the matter with her colleagues.

Her mother, Anne, told The Times of the accusations: ‘When her line manager heard them, she said they didn’t sound like the Chloe she knew. 

‘So why ambush her with a meeting like this without checking if they were vexatious, unfounded or simply not true?’

Husband David added: ‘After her death, when we were trying to work out how bad the complaints had been for a meeting like this to be called that led to Chloe taking the drastic action she did, we finally saw the allegations and thought, “Was that it?”‘

After the meeting, Moffat called her mum, a former head of care at a children’s hospice, who was in France at the time. During the call, she made it known that she believed she would be losing her job.

The politics graduate also messaged a friend that day, writing, ‘I am going to be fired.’ She later met the friend and ‘broke down crying’.

That night, Moffat travelled to her family home in Godalming, Surrey, where she and her dad discussed plans to visit Oxford at the weekend.

But the next morning, property director David found his daughter dead, the medical cause of which was determined to be suicide.

Assistant coroner Anna Crawford said Moffat’s state of mind and anxiety over being fired likely contributed to the decision she made to take her life.

Her father echoed this, saying his daughter thought her life had been ‘destroyed’.

It is unlikely that Moffat would have ever been dismissed over the claims.

Now, Anne and David want ‘redress’, but they are unsure whether they will take further action.

The Treasury previously said it was considering the coroner’s findings ‘carefully’ and not contesting.

It has said new measures have been implemented to better support colleagues’ wellbeing when accused of misconduct.

Additionally, a Prevention of Future Deaths report by the coroner has been sent to the Treasury and Dame Antonia Romeo, head of the civil service.

A Treasury spokesperson has said their ‘deepest sympathies’ continue to be with Moffat’s friends and families as the department ‘continues to mourn our colleague’.

‘We will learn the lessons from this tragedy. We are working urgently to respond to the coroner’s findings, and we have introduced immediate changes to our guidance, support, and wellbeing arrangements.

‘Chloe’s parents have agreed to meet with us so we can hear their views and update on actions the department is taking.’

MORE: Dad of Treasury worker who took her own life speaks out about ‘unbearable loss’

MORE: Treasury worker, 26, killed herself one day after anonymous complaint

Charlotte Dodd, a beloved mum-of-two, was killed by Matthew DuPlessis after a day out in Blackpool

A man who admitted causing the death of his then girlfriend by careless driving has been jailed, but her family claim they still don’t know the full truth.

Police said Matthew DuPlessis, 35, ‘concocted’ a story to ‘cover up that he was responsible’ for the death of mum-of-two Charlotte Dodd, also 35.

He claimed she had been dancing in the road after they had a night out and was struck by a dark-coloured vehicle in a hit and run smash. DuPlessis was initially treated as a witness and allowed to leave the scene on Padgbury Lane, Congleton, Cheshire, on September 23, 2023.

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But an officer from a serious collision unit who attended the scene later recognised his name and that he drove a small white van like one found parked nearby.

Police went on to arrest him on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and failing a roadside drug screening test. DuPlessis pleaded guilty in 2024 to driving with excess cocaine in his body and was banned for three years, but the investigation into Charlotte’s death continued.

Police said it emerged DuPlessis and Charlotte had been to Blackpool during the day, but neighbours heard them arguing that night. They left at 1.30am and drove around Congleton in DuPlessis’ van as they continued to argue.

In a statement, Cheshire Police said: “It was then, on Padgbury Lane, that Charlotte left the van as it was still moving. Charlotte struck the carriageway and was fatally injured.”

DuPlessis, from Richard Darrock Way in Crewe, appeared at Chester Crown Court on Friday (August 28) to be sentenced after pleading guilty to causing death by careless driving whilst unfit through drugs and perverting the course of justice at an earlier hearing. He was jailed for nine years and three months.

Det Chief Insp Dave Hutcheon, of the Major Investigation Team, said: “DuPlessis told multiple witnesses at the scene including his own parents, members of the public, paramedics and police at the scene that he and Charlotte were walking along Padgbury Lane having been out drinking and that Charlotte was dancing in the carriageway.

“He said that when his back was turned to wee in a bush, a dark coloured vehicle struck Charlotte and fled the scene. We launched a fail to stop investigation at the scene, and the defendant was treated as a witness and later allowed to leave with his parents.

“It hasn’t been determined how Charlotte came to leave the van. The defendant overshot the junction causing him to perform an emergency stop. He then reversed and parked his van on Arnside Avenue and went to Charlotte. He then concocted his story to cover up that he was responsible for her death.

“His lies were caught out by the roads policing officer and the detailed forensic analysis of his movements led to him having no option but to plead guilty.

“His actions tragically led to Charlotte’s death and changed her family’s life forever. Our hearts go out to them as they navigate the rest of their lives trying to cope with the devastating loss of someone they loved very much.”

Following the sentencing hearing, Charlotte’s family said: “Today marks the end of a three-year journey through a police investigation and legal process that has changed our family lives forever. Throughout this period, we have quietly lived through the turmoil, the uncertainty and the heartbreak surrounding the circumstances of Charlotte’s death.

“We have each carried an indescribable pain of losing our daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece and friend, whilst also watching her two young girls try to come to terms with losing their mummy. Due to the lies and deception by one person from the very beginning, thereby perverting the course of justice, we still do not know the full truth of what really happened to Charlotte.

“There are no witnesses. There are some questions that remain unanswered, and we will have to live with those questions for the rest of our lives.”

She’s never been one to shy away from the spotlight… 

And Katie Price made sure all eyes were on her as she took to the stage for a special performance at Manchester Pride on Friday.

The former glamour model, 48, worked the crowd as she performed in a very racy cut-out neon leotard. 

Emphasising her surgically enhanced figure, she squeezed into the plunging one piece, which she paired with fishnet tights and black ankle boots. 

Performing her hit I Got U to the cheering crowd, the star also treated fans to a cover of Bryan Adams’ Heaven and the 1991 house classic Finally by CeCe Peniston. 

She told the audience: ‘I’m a real person, I’m not a product. I’m just like all of us here. We all have our ups and downs.’ 

Heading to the venue earlier in the night, Katie was seen puffing on a vape and looked in great spirits as she flashed her wedding ring while walking with her companions. 

Performing her hit I Got U to the cheering crowd, the star also treated fans to a cover of Bryan Adams’ Heaven and the 1991 house classic Finally by CeCe Peniston

Her voluminous raven tresses were worn poker straight while she coated her face in a thick layer of make-up for the glam occasion. 

Katie’s less-than-lowkey outing comes soon after she shared a cryptic post about being ‘hurt’ and ‘difficult times’ amid her ongoing marital drama with husband Lee Andrews.

Since tying the knot with the controversial business leader in January following a whirlwind romance, Katie’s marriage has been plagued with drama including Lee’s prison stints, kidnapping, his various lies and accusations of scamming his exes.

And while Katie has publicly continued to support him, with the former glamour model recently pictured wearing her wedding ring, it appears things have taken their toll on her as she declared that she had ‘survived’ difficult times. 

Taking to Instagram on Sunday, Katie shared a snap of a model reading a newspaper, with the words on the paper reading: ‘My side of the story doesn’t matter anymore. 

‘Life happened, it hurt, I healed, but most importantly, I learned who deserves a seat at my table and who will never sit at it again.’

She then tellingly wrote the words ‘I survived’ over another quote which stated: ‘I will never, ever forget who helped me in difficult times, who put me in difficult times, and who left me in difficult times.’

And while Katie didn’t specify who or what she was referring to, her words suggested all was not well in her personal life. 

The former glamour model, 48, made sure all eyes were on her as she wowed in a very racy cut-out neon leotard

Showcasing her surgically enhanced assets, she squeezed into the plunging one piece which she paired with fishnet tights and black ankle boots

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She told the audience: ‘I’m a real person, I’m not a product. I’m just like all of us here. We all have our ups and downs.=’

The star encouraged the crowd to sing along as she held the microphone out to them 

Katie got members of the crowd involved as she held hands with a man on stage

Katie looked in great spirits despite recently sharing a cryptic post about being ‘hurt’ and ‘difficult times’ amid her ongoing marital drama with husband Lee Andrews 

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She was also seen vaping as she blew a cloud of vapor out her mouth 

She drank her coke and was fanned as she tried to cool down in the Canal Street venue 

One fan looked overwhelmed as he stood beside the former glamour model 

The pair sang together as they celebrated Pride 

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It comes as it is thought Katie’s husband Lee, 43, continues to remain in jail, despite reports he was released last month.

The conman business leader was said to have been released in July following his second spell in Dubai’s Al Awir prison after being hit with fraud claims.

Now, it has been claimed that Lee was never released, with sources reporting his fellow inmates are ‘fed up with his constant lies’.

The Sun alleges that Lee has been telling his inmates his exit paperwork is ‘sorted’ each week, but as each new week comes he remains in prison.

Meanwhile, Katie appears to be sticking by her husband as she put her wedding ring back on in an Instagram selfie recently.

The TV personality also flashed her ‘Owned By Lee’ tattoo while posing in a barely-there bikini. 

Katie previously vowed to hold her husband to account for ‘hurting other people’. 

In her podcast, Katie said: ‘In fact, I’m going to get Ben [the producer of Katie’s podcast] to interview him and Ben is going to delve in deep and I want to hear everything and it’s too much and I don’t like people hurting people.

‘That’s all I’m saying on it, I’ve not put anything up online, so you’ve heard it here for the first time.’

Kirk Douglas left his and his late wife Anne’s estate – including their impressive art collection, Oscar statuettes and film memorabilia – to son Michael Douglas and other members of their family.

The Hollywood legend known for leading roles in Spartacus, Lust for Life and Paths of Glory died aged 103 in February 2020. His widow Anne, Michael Douglas’s stepmother, died the following year aged 102.

According to TMZ, the trust executed by Kirk and Anne set out which family members would inherit parts of their considerable estate.

Kirk Douglas had four children – Michael, Eric, Joel and Peter Douglas. His grandchildren were apparently also named as beneficiaries in his will. Eric died in 2004 of an accidental overdose, aged 46.

Michael, who has starred in films including Wall Street, Romancing the Stone, Fatal Attraction and Basic Instinct, reportedly received several artworks including 19 lithographs by the artist Marc Chagall, titled The Bible series.

Meanwhile, Joel is said to have been given the honorary Oscar that Kirk was given by Steven Spielberg in 1996 for his half-century’s work in the film industry.

Michael’s wife of 25 years, Welsh actor Catherine Zeta-Jones, reportedly received “The Friendship Bench” made by the late sculptor John Kennedy.

Born in 1931, the late artist is known for his graceful bronze figures that can be found in a number of parks and campuses around the world. His sculpture Spirit of Audrey, dedicated to Hollywood film star Audrey Hepburn, is located at the Unicef headquarters in New York City.

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Kirk Douglas was one of Kennedy’s most notable collectors, along with German-Swiss socialite and art collector Gunter Sachs, Swiss industrialist Baron Thyssen, and philanthropist couple Jim and Jackie Lee Houston.

The Independent has contacted Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones’s representatives for comment.

Other items handed out to various grandchildren reportedly included Kirk’s Medal of Freedom, awarded to him in 1981 by President Carter, his 1983 Jefferson Award, and jewelry that belonged to Anne.

Shortly after Kirk’s death, it was reported that Kirk left the majority of his $61m fortune to be distributed by the Douglas Foundation – the charitable organisation he and Anne founded in 1964 with the goal of “helping those who cannot help themselves”.

Announcing his father’s passing, Michael acknowledged his status to the public as “a legend, an actor from the golden age of movies who lived well into his golden years, a humanitarian whose commitment to justice and the causes he believed in set a standard for us all to aspire to”.

He continued: “But to me and my brothers Joel and Peter he was simply Dad, to Catherine, a wonderful father-in-law, to his grandchildren and great grandchildren their loving grandfather, and to his wife Anne, a wonderful husband.”

“Kirk’s life was well lived, and he leaves a legacy in film that will endure for generations to come, and a history as a renowned philanthropist who worked to aid the public and bring peace to the planet.”

Earlier this year, Michael Douglas announced that he was preparing to release a memoir in 2026.

“After being asked for many years, I’ve finally decided it’s time to tell my story on my own terms,” the actor said in a statement in February

“Not the highlight reel, not the version shaped by headlines or box office numbers, but the real one. I’ve lived a life that unfolded in public while being deeply private at the same time, and there’s a difference.

“This is about where I came from, what I fought against, and what I chose for myself. Fame can blur the truth; this is my attempt to bring it back into focus.”

This is the second thunderstorm warning for Cambridgeshire this week

Parts of Cambridgeshire could experience more thunderstorms this weekend. The Met Office has issued another yellow weather warning for thunderstorms in parts of Cambridgeshire today (Saturday, August 29).

The warning began at midday and is set to last until 9pm. Areas affected include Peterborough, Ely, Huntingdon and part of Cambridge.

A Met Office spokesperson said that while most places will “miss the worst”, some areas may experience “heavy thundery showers”, resulting in disruption.

The Met Office added: “An area of heavy showers and thunderstorms will move across this region during the afternoon and early evening, affecting areas in the west first and moving progressively east towards evening with drier weather following.

“Some places could see 15-25 mm of rain in an hour, and 30 mm in two to three hours, with hail and lightning additional hazards.”

There is a good chance that driving conditions will be affected by spraying water or standing water, resulting in longer journey times. Some areas are also at risk of flooding.

Train services could also be disrupted and people may experience power cuts. This is the second thunderstorm warning to hit Cambridgeshire this week.

Brandon Fox, 15, from the Yarm area, was last seen leaving the shop at Teesside Retail Park on Thursday, August 27 at around 5.30pm.

Brandon is described as a white male, 5ft 8” tall, blue eyes, of slim build with blonde, curly hair which is short on the sides.

He was last seen wearing a black T-shirt and shorts and black Nike 95 Cortez trainers with yellow writing.

Anyone who may have seen Brandon, or may know of his whereabouts, is asked to contact Cleveland Police as a matter of urgency on 101, quoting reference number 172884

Vladimir Putin has met with his henchman from Belarus Alexander Lukashenko amid growing fears of an attack on Nato and an urgent ‘warning’ flight to Moscow by the director of the CIA.

The Russian and Belarusian presidents were to meet today and were expected to discuss their ‘common problem’ of Ukraine.

The crunch talks came after weeks of concerns about a possible attack on Nato by the Kremlin which is thought may have prompted CIA boss John Ratcliffe’s sudden flight to Moscow this week.

It was reported last month that Mr Putin was plotting an armed incursion into Poland in a bid to scare the western alliance into dropping its fervent support for Ukraine, some four years on from Russia’s illegal invasion.

Yesterday Lukashenko and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin met in Moscow, with the Belarusian president promising to discuss the conflict, Turkish media reported.

‘Looking ahead, today we’ll also discuss our common problem, which we’re facing in southern Belarus and western Russia. It’s a real problem, but we’ll solve it, no matter how much some people might want it,’ he said.

Lukashenko and Putin are expected to discuss Ukraine further during their summit on Saturday.

The in-person meet-up comes just days after a sudden trip by Mr Ratcliffe to the Russian capital this week.

The Russian and Belarussian presidents were to meet today and were expected to discuss their ‘common problem’ of Ukraine

An American jet landed in the city on Tuesday, sparking frenzied speculation about who was on board.

The jet left Riga, Latvia, at around 8.50am Moscow time (1.50am ET, 6.50am BST) and landed just outside the Russian capital approximately 74 minutes later.

The flight’s arrival was highly unusual given the current tensions between Washington and Moscow.

Both the Kremlin and the CIA declined to comment on the visit, but it is understood to be the first such trip to Russia for Mr Ratcliffe since his appointment.

The journey sparked alarm in the West as commentators drew parallels between it and the previous warning trip to Moscow by then-CIA director William Burns in November 2021.

It is the last publicly known director-level visit to the country and took place as the US warned Russia against invading Ukraine.

This time, the trip comes amid escalating tensions around fears of an attack on Nato, thought to be centred around Poland.

A Russian missile entered Polish airspace and crashed in July, prompting Warsaw and the bloc to activate air and ground defenses and scramble aircraft.

Nato chief Mark Rutte called the episode ‘another reckless act by Russia’ and a dangerous consequence of its war against Ukraine.

It followed previous Russian airspace violations that have fueled fears in Warsaw that Moscow is testing the bloc’s defenses and willingness to respond.

It comes after CIA director John Ratcliffe (pictured) flew out to Russia earlier this week

The US aircraft, flying under the call sign RCH4555, left the NATO country at around 8.50am Moscow time (1.50am ET, 6.50am BST) and landed in the Russian capital roughly 74 minutes later

Sources close to Polish President Karol Nawrocki told news outlet Onet that the US had been warning Warsaw about the plan for a while.

Russia’s plan aims to start a crisis to scare Western nations into stopping their support for Ukraine.

Polish security experts also warned that Russia and Belarus might send a small number of troops across the Nato border.

Power stations could also be targeted in the incursion, through air strikes that would force Poland to activate its air defence systems.

According to Polish sources cited by Onet, Russia could frame a territorial incursion as either a GPS navigation error or an emergency helicopter recovery.

Moscow’s strategy relies on the assumption that the US would compel Poland to negotiate rather than engage militarily.

According to sources, a ground-based attack could come from Kaliningrad – which borders northern Poland – or from Belarus to the east. 

The warnings come as reports today suggest Putin is considering a last-ditch attempt to gain overt military supremacy in Ukraine.

He is said to be considering enlisting 300,000 new troops to plough into Russia’s ‘meat-grinder’ frontline against Ukrainian soldiers, as well as increasing sabotage tactics against Nato.

This could include an expansion of electronic warfare such as attacks on GPS signals, Russian military specialist Keir Giles told the Sun.