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Sir Keir Starmer hosts his first international meeting as prime minister today as he welcomes political leaders from across the European continent.
Holding the summit at Oxford’s Blenheim Palace, the ‘Meeting of the European Political Community’ marks another crucial event in Sir Keir’s busy calendar since becoming prime minister only a few weeks ago.
It also signals the new prime minister’s desire to improve UK-EU relations, coming after business secretary Jonathan Reynolds ventured to Italy to build new trade links.
For the latest political updates, follow the Independent’s live coverage
There will be representatives from 47 European countries at the event, including the 27 EU member states. The prime minister’s chosen venue, Blenheim Palace, has a long history of welcoming political leaders from across the world.
The grand building, located near Oxford, was the birthplace of Winston Churchill and hosts events for the public in its expansive garden when not in official use.
Here are some of the political heavyweights viewers can expect to see Sir Keir welcome today at the European Summit:
Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to be in attendance at today’s meeting of European leaders. The former entertainer became the sixth president of Ukraine in 2019 and has remained in the post during the Russian invasion of the country since 2022.
Sir Keir has pledged to continue supplying aid to Ukraine during its war with Russia, matching the previous government’s £3 billion a year and looking to the country’s ascension to NATO membership.
Emmanuel Macron, France
French president Emmanuel Macron will be visiting Blenheim Palace today just weeks after the snap election he called in June following his party’s crushing defeat in the previous EU elections.
Sir Keir wrote for France’s biggest newspaper, Le Monde, ahead of the summit at Blenheim to welcome the president to the UK and affirm his desire to deepen the relationship between their countries.
Giorgia Meloni, Italy
Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni has been in the post since 2022, becoming the first woman to hold the position after her election. She has led the right-wing party Brothers of Italy since 2014 and has expressed a desire for EU reform.
Sir Keir met with Ms Meloni for the first time as prime minister last week at a NATO Summit in Washington. The pair reportedly discussed their intention to stay in contact on international issues, and ways to strengthen relations between their two countries.
Olaf Scholz, Germany
Olaf Scholz has been chancellor for Germany since 2021. Like Sir Keir, he has previously worked as a lawyer, specialising in labour and employment law.
The pair also met at the NATO summit in Washington, with a Downing Street spokesperson saying: “The Chancellor welcomed the Prime Minister’s commitment to resetting the UK’s European partnerships, noting how important our friendships with like-minded countries will be in a challenging international environment.”
Simon Harris, Ireland
Simon Harris became Ireland’s Taoiseach in April 2024, taking over from Leo Varadkar who served two terms between 2017 and his resignation in 2024.
Sir Keir recently a “reset” in relations between the two nations with two pints of Guinness, as the new prime minister hosted the Irish leader at Chequers.
