US pushes for unified effort to destroy Islamic State group

The United States is pushing allies, including Sunni-majority states in the Middle East, to sign up to a plan by the end of the month to destroy Islamic State terrorists (formerly known as Isis).

The charge at the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation summit was led by US secretary of state John Kerry, who believes the group could be defeated within three years. However, no final plans were agreed by Nato states, while Downing Street sources said they were still waiting for Washington to request help with air strikes.

Rejecting charges that he had been too slow to act, US president Barack Obama said the US was being "very systematic and methodical in going after this organisation".

Significant threat Nato leaders had been

unanimous during the two-day meeting in Wales that Islamic State must be tackled and that it poses a significant threat to their security, he said. Efforts would be taken to “degrade and ultimately destroy” Islamic State, Mr Obama said, adding that the lack of western troops on the ground in Iraq would not hinder that target.

Earlier in the day, Mr Kerry met defence ministers from Britain, France, Germany, Canada, Australia, Turkey, Italy, Poland and Denmark in a bid to form “a core coalition”.

“In many ways I believe Isil presents us with an opportunity,” Mr Kerry said. “It’s an opportunity to prove that we have the ability to come together.”

The threat offers the chance to show Nato can “pull ourselves together” and create a coalition of “the willing and the capable” to eradicate Islamic State, Mr Kerry continued.

Privately, British sources noted differences in tone between Mr Kerry and President Obama, pointing to the secretary of state’s more bullish language last year over Syria. For now, Mr Kerry is pressing for a united approach to be agreed before the opening of the United Nation’s general assembly in New York at the end of September.

"However, let's wait and see what comes out of the White House," a British source cautioned. It is clear, however, that British prime minister David Cameron does not favour becoming involved in air strikes.

No western troops will be sent to Iraq. The US president insisted that revived and rearmed Kurdish and Iraqi forces, with the aid of western air power would be able to carry out any operation.

Ceasefire welcomed Meanwhile, Nato leaders cautiously welcomed the ceasefire announced in the Ukraine yesterday: “A ceasefire is good, a peace plan would be better,” said

Mr Cameron.

The prime minister challenged opinions that the West had not done enough to help Ukraine. “If they go on destabilising they will face more pressure,” he said.

Mr Obama and Mr Cameron insisted that the economic sanctions imposed by the European Union and Washington – toughened again yesterday in Brussels – had influenced Russian president Vladimir Putin.

The toughening of the sanctions would go ahead despite the ceasefire announcement, but signals were given that they could be stood down in time.

“Russia needs Europe and the US more than we need them,” said Mr Cameron, who linked the fall in the size of the Russian economy directly to the sanctions that have already been put into place.

Meanwhile, Mr Obama and a succession of other Nato leaders said its mutual defence pact – the so-called article five commitment – would be honoured.

“We want to make it crystal clear that we mean what we say,” he said. He also promised the Baltic states that they would not lose their independence to Russian aggression.