Overview
- He is scheduled to meet German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday and to address the summit on Saturday.
- Downing Street signals a push in Munich for greater Western cooperation on weapons development and procurement.
- The United States is represented by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with President Donald Trump not attending.
- Starmer travels after senior aide departures and a backlash over appointing Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the U.S., with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar urging him to resign.
- Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper publicly backs Starmer’s global role, as advisers indicate a shift toward spending more time on domestic priorities and MPs head into a week‑long recess.