Jeremy Corbyn triggered another row over his support for NATO after refusing to pledge to back an ally invaded by Russia.

Grilled about his commitment to the 68-year-old alliance, the Labour leader told American TV channel CNN he wanted talks with Moscow.

Under Article V of NATO's charter, an attack on one member can be deemed an attack on the whole alliance.

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He said: “The NATO charter asks for acts of solidarity and support.

“It is not necessarily military; it can be diplomatic, it can be economic, it can be a lot of things.

“What I want is a dialogue between NATO and Russia.”

Veteran peace campaigner Mr Corbyn, a former chairman of the Stop The War Coalition, spent years criticising NATO from the backbenches before becoming leader in 2015.

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Since seizing the party reins he has continued to hit out at comments by the alliance and its members which he believes have deepened the stand off with the Kremlin.

In the CNN interview, recorded at Labour Conference in Brighton, Mr Corbyn said: “What I want to do is de-intensify the stress that is on the borders between NATO and Russia and deal with Russia in that way because we cannot go back to Europe being divided and isolated bu a Cold War anymore than we can go on with the kind of rhetoric that is going on between the United States of America and Korea.

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“We only live on one planet and on world and we cannot afford another war.”

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon slammed Mr Corbyn for failing to guarantee supporting a NATO ally.

He said: “For nearly 70 years NATO has helped keep this country and our Allies safe through collective defence.

“NATO’s charter is very clear, an attack against one Ally is considered an attack against all Allies.

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“Jeremy Corbyn ’s comments put our security and the security of our Eastern European Allies at risk at a time of growing Russian aggression and international threats.

“The Labour Party must be crystal clear about whether it supports collective defence or will give succour to those who attack our democratic peace and security.”

Former Lib Dem leader Tim Farron said:

“The NATO alliance depends on every member being prepared to defend each other if attacked.

“Jeremy Corbyn risks undermining our collective security by throwing that commitment into doubt.

“He talks about solidarity and internationalism but doesn’t actually believe in them when it really matters.

“It says it all that Labour are ‘war-gaming’ scenarios for a run on the pound, but not for an actual war.”