- Prime minister Andy Burnham is expected to meet US President Donald Trump face-to-face for the first time in New York next week during the UN General Assembly.
- The high-profile diplomatic encounter follows two previous telephone conversations between the leaders and will cover pressing global topics such as Ukraine, the war in the Middle East, and UK sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements.
- Despite previous political friction and past critical comments, both leaders have described their initial phone exchanges as positive, touching upon trade, defence, and energy policy.
- Major points of policy divergence remain, with Donald Trump questioning UK sovereignty over the Falkland Islands and publicly advocating for Irish unification.
- Downing Street has firmly pushed back against Donald Trump's stance on key issues, with Andy Burnham reiterating a relentless commitment to defending the Falkland Islands and rejecting calls for an immediate Northern Ireland border poll.
IN FULL
