The UK is not considering conscription to boost the British Army amid a rising threat from Russia, a senior minister has said.

Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden told Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that “Europe does have to step up in terms of its own defence”.

But he ruled out conscription to bolster troop numbers as Europe races to re-arm as fears over a lack of American support intensify.

Latvian prime minister Edgars Rinkēvičs has told Europe more countries should consider the radical move as Donald Trump applies diplomatic pressure on Ukraine to end the war and the continent to “step up” on defence.

Asked whether conscription is something the Government has in mind, Mr McFadden said: “We’re not considering conscription, but, of course, we’ve announced a major increase in defence expenditure a couple of weeks ago, and we do have to recognise that the world has changed here.

“The phrase ‘step up’ is used a lot in recent weeks and Europe does have to step up in terms of its own defence.

“President Trump isn’t actually the first president to say that, but he said it more loudly and with more force than his predecessors. So, I think we’ve got to recognise that moment.”

The Army is at its smallest since the Napoleonic Wars, with about 73,000 troops.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced that the UK’s overseas aid budget will be cut by about £6.1billion to fund an increase in defence from 2.3% to 2.5% of GDP, about £5.9billion.

He also set a goal of spending 3% of GDP on defence by the end of the next Parliament but has not said how this will be funded.

The Prime Minister and French president Emmanuel Macron have been seeking countries who would be willing to defend a peace deal by joining a so-called “coalition of the willing”.

On Friday, the US president threatened to place tariffs on Vladimir Putin’s country in response to Russia “absolutely pounding” Ukraine.

Mr Trump paused military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine following his clash with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office last week.

Officials from about 20 largely European and Commonwealth countries took part in talks on Wednesday about the so-called “coalition of the willing”, it is understood.

Mr McFadden, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said that “people have to be up for it”.

Asked on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg how many countries have said they would be willing to take part, Mr McFadden said: “These discussions are going on, I think it’s important to have European countries involved in this.

“The Prime Minister certainly stepped up and other countries have indicated that they want to do that.

“Of course, coalition of the willing means people have to be up for it. They have to step forward themselves, they can’t be dragooned by us.

“But the UK and the Prime Minister is playing an important role in those discussions, and will continue to do that.”

Mr McFadden did not say whether or not it was wrong for the US to have withdrawn satellite images and other information from Ukraine.

Asked whether it was “wrong”, Mr McFadden told Sky News: “Well, it’s their decision. It’s not something that we’ve done.

“We support Ukraine, we continue to supply Ukraine with weapons, with intelligence support, with help on the cyber front, because we believe that they’re engaged in a really important fight for their country’s freedom and the capacity to decide their own future.”

Pushed further on whether the White House bears any responsibility for casualties in Ukraine, Mr McFadden said: “With regard to the United States, what they’re trying to do is bring the war to an end. I think that aim is shared by everyone.

“What we want to secure is not just an end to the fighting, but a peace that lasts, and that has underlined every action the Prime Minister has taken in recent weeks, because it will do nothing to secure Ukraine’s future if we have a temporary ceasefire, which lasts only as long as President Putin wants it to.”