Oliver Dowden on where Rishi Sunak is 'He's at NATO'

       The Deputy Prime Minister faced a grilling from his Labour Party counterpart as she questioned where Rishi Sunak was at the Prime Minister's Questions this afternoon.

       After Angela Rayner made a comment about the last time a Prime Minister missed two sessions in a row, Deputy PM Oliver Dowden hit back: "He's at NATO!"

       Opening the session this afternoon, Dowden acknowledged Sunak's absense, telling the room he is in Vilnius attending the NATO summit.

       He says this is an "opportunity to build on work in the past year strengthening Nato and supporting Ukraine".

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       Dowden was questioned this afternoon (Image: Parliament TV)

       The Prime Minister told Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky that he belonged in NATO as he assured "real progress" is being made in the fightback against Russia.

       Mr Zelensky is said to be frustrated by the reluctance of the 31 member states to agree a timetable for wartorn Ukraine to be admitted into the international defensive alliance.

       He called it "absurd" that military and democratic "conditions" need to be met before its allowed to join.

       Greeting Mr Zelensky in the Lithuanian capital on Wednesday, Mr Sunak said: “It is good to see you here at NATO where you belong.”

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       Rishi Sunak is attending a NATO summit (Image: Getty)

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       The Prime Minister added: "What your soldiers are doing on the front line, it is inspiring to everyone.

       "We’re proud to have played a part in training some of them.

       "They have served with enormous bravery and courage.”

       Mr Zelensky said the training missions in the UK had been "very important", with Mr Sunak adding it was clear the exercises had "been put to good use".

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