Karoline Leavitt revealed President Donald Trump's private talks with foreign leaders mirror his public stance, detailing tense calls with Putin, Xi and a blunt lunch with Starmer.

PM will press for US support for Ukraine in first meeting, but defence spending, Middle East and North Sea oil remain potential flashpoints

Andy Burnham is could risk igniting a row with Donald Trump ahead of their first meeting as the new Prime Minister "won't bend the knee like his predecessor". The Prime Minister is due to meet the US President in New York next Tuesday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

Burnham-Trump latest: PM warned tax rises ‘virtually inevitable’ ahead of first meeting with US president - Andy Burnham faces economic headache as he prepares for talks with US leader

Downing Street is thought to be aiming to keep the encounter relatively short to limit the chance of a disaster. As the talks are not in the Oval Office Mr Burnham should escape one of Mr Trump's unpredictable ad hoc press conferences. The president also has more high-profile showdowns scheduled with Xi Jinping of China and Volodymyr Zelensky.