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Jeremy Corbyn has signalled he was in favour of reducing Nato’s military presence on Russia’s European borders.

The Labour leader said the move could help ease tensions with Russia and prevent a new Cold War.

His comments came amid mounting unease that the election of Donald Trump could undermine Nato and the Western stance against Russian aggression.

Mr Corbyn said he would like to see the demilitarisation of the border between Russia and Eastern Europe states.

“I do think there has to be a process that we try and demilitarise the border between what are now the Nato states and Russia, so that we drive apart those forces, keep them further apart in order to bring about some kind of accommodation.

“We can’t descend into a new cold war,” he told the Andrew Marr show.

He added: “I’m not quite sure of Donald Trump’s personal economic relationship with Russia but he clearly thinks he can have a good relationship with Putin on the basis that Putin is a strong leader.”

(Image: BBC/ Andrew Marr) (Image: PA)

Mr Trump has branded Nato “obselete” and refused to back its founding principle that an attack on one member amounts to an attack on all.

The President elect has also threatened to end America’s bankrolling of the Alliance and said other countries need to pay their fair share.

There are fears that Trump’s win could see an emboldened Putin seek to extend Russian influence in the Ukraine and the Baltic states.

Britain is sending 800 troops and fighter jets to eastern Europe next spring as part of a show of strength against “provocative” posturing by Moscow.

Nato’s secretary-general yesterday reminder Mr Trump that member states came to the aid of the US after 9/11.

Jens Stoltenberg said that Europe and the US need to stick together as they face the greatest security dangers for a generation.

“The only time Nato has invoked its self-defence clause, that an attack on one is an attack on all, was in support of the United States after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

“This was more than just a symbol. Nato went on to take charge of the operation in Afghanistan. Hundreds of thousands of European soldiers have served in Afghanistan since.

“And more than 1,000 have paid the ultimate price in an operation that is a direct response to an attack against the United States.

“Going it alone is not an option, either for Europe or for the United States.

“We face the greatest challenges to our security in a generation. This is no time to question the value of the partnership between Europe and the United States,” Mr Stoltenberg wrote in The Observer.

Conservative spokesman said: “It’s clear that Jeremy Corbyn doesn’t believe in strong defences - and would put our national security at risk.”