Donald Trump cast doubt on whether Russia really meddled in the 2016 presidential election yesterday as it was announced his first summit with Vladimir Putin will happen on July 16 in Helsinki.

The US president tweeted that “Russia continues to say they had nothing to do with meddling in our election”, despite US national intelligence figures repeatedly dismissing the Kremlin’s claim.

The comment has added to fears that Mr Trump’s meeting with Mr Putin in the Finnish capital could further drive a wedge with European Union allies.

The summit will happen at the end of a visit to Europe that will see Mr Trump visit Brussels for a Nato meeting, London for talks with Theresa May and the Queen and Scotland for golf.

Mrs May is among European leaders clamouring for a tough line on Russia in the wake of the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury earlier this year.

However Mr Trump, eager to improve relations with Russia despite the federal investigation into his campaign’s links to the country, has been critical of Nato.