Rishi Sunak will join other world leaders in Munich this weekend for a conference on international security, Downing Street has confirmed.

The meeting in Germany comes days after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky visited London, Paris and Brussels as part of efforts to convince allies to arm Kyiv with fighter jet planes.

The conference was also held last year in the days before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Then prime minister Boris Johnson used the occasion to warn Moscow that the West would stand with Ukraine in the event of an invasion.

Minister vows government will ‘stand firm’ on public sector pay – politics latest

Mr Sunak’s attendance at the conference, alongside other European leaders, comes amid speculation that London and Brussels are moving closer to reaching a Brexit deal over the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Negotiated as part of the Brexit deal with the EU, the protocol has turned out to be a big headache for both Northern Ireland and Westminster as it has affected goods coming into the country.

Northern Ireland election delayed until January 2024, as government remains in limbo

Former British soldier David Holden who killed Catholic Aidan McAnespie in Northern Ireland escapes jail sentence

Omagh bombing inquiry launched by Northern Ireland secretary to investigate 1998 attack

The Munich conference provides Mr Sunak with an opportunity to hold face-to-face talks with EU leaders to try and bring an end to the row over post-Brexit arrangements in the region.

Meanwhile, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace will also join fellow defence ministers for a NATO meeting in Brussels on Wednesday.

This discussion comes amid the backdrop of fresh tensions with China after the US shot down four balloons flying in its airspace this month – with Washington declaring one of them to be a piece of Chinese spyware.

The UK is reviewing its own security measures in the wake of the incidents.

Related posts:

Rishi Sunak summoned to parliament to explain Greensill-Cameron lobbying row PM to hold Downing Street news conference this evening Starmer slumps 17 points behind PM in new poll – and a third of Labour voters want him to quit ‘Vast bulk’ of UK citizens in Afghanistan to be brought home in ‘next few days’, says PM Williamson sacked and Raab demoted as PM reshuffles his cabinet All the Tory MPs who we know have submitted letters of no confidence in Boris Johnson so far Omicron ‘in retreat’ and England in ‘next chapter’ of COVID fight, says Javid as Plan B scrapped ‘It could be with us forever’: UK must learn to live with COVID, Javid says Government ‘confident’ HRT supplies ‘back on track’ soon after shortages ‘This is it folks’: Johnson calls himself a ‘booster rocket’ in final speech as PM Johnson did not dwell on honour of being PM in defiant and unapologetic Downing Street exit What Liz Truss’s Instagram account reveals about her