Carney will meet British Prime Minister Andy Burnham for the first time – National

Prime Minister Mark Carney will meet the British Prime Minister for the first time.

The Prime Minister’s Office said Carney will meet Andy Burnham in Liverpool during a three-day trip to Europe that will start on Tuesday, and the two leaders will discuss Canada-UK relations in the areas of defense and security, energy, artificial intelligence and critical minerals.

The Canadian leader congratulated Burnham after the British prime minister took office on July 20, Carney’s office said at the time, but it will be the first time the two world leaders have met in person.

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Burnham is Britain’s fourth prime minister in four years after changes in the country’s top office left former Conservative leaders Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, as well as former Labor leader Keir Starmer, fighting to keep their posts.

Starmer was forced out by his own party, and a leadership race within the ruling Labor Party gave Burnham – the former mayor of Greater Manchester – the keys to 10 Downing Street.

Carney is also scheduled to address the European Parliament in Strasbourg and attend the state of the European Union address during the visit, adding to a busy week for the prime minister who will host a two-day investment summit in Toronto on Monday and Tuesday.

The European Union’s ambassador to Canada said earlier this week in an interview that Carney and EU officials were looking to discuss a new partnership when he visited the European Parliament.

Carney has forged closer ties with countries in Europe and around the world as relations with the United States deteriorate.

On Tuesday, Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on billions of dollars’ worth of U.S. products went into effect in a retaliatory response after Canada-U.S. trade talks broke down in late August.