EU failure to agree financial and political support for Ukraine this week would send a dangerous signal to the US, where Republicans are opposing more funding for Kyiv, Sweden’s premier has warned.

Ulf Kristersson told the Financial Times ahead of a crucial summit starting in Brussels on Thursday that he was most concerned about what message European allies would send to Washington if they did not agree on €50bn in aid and on starting EU membership negotiations with Ukraine.

“I’m mostly concerned by the fact that if Europe shows signs of division, it’s a sign to the US. And vice versa. If we want the US to stick to supporting Ukraine, Europe has to show the American people that we stick ourselves to supporting Ukraine,” Kristersson said on Wednesday in Oslo after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with other Nordic leaders.