- 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.
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