According to the UK Government’s 22 September 2026 readout on gov.uk, the Prime Minister met European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The stated purpose was to work towards a successful outcome for the next EU-UK summit later in 2026. The language is brief, but the subject matter is wide. Rather than focusing on a single dispute or announcement, the conversation covered security, migration, market pressure and artificial intelligence. That gives officials and stakeholders a clearer sense of the files likely to shape the summit agenda in the final months of the year.
The readout placed Russia’s war in Ukraine alongside hybrid warfare and disinformation. That grouping matters. It treats military support, resilience against hostile interference and public information integrity as connected European security questions rather than separate policy tracks. For the UK and the European Commission, this is a practical frame for cooperation. It suggests the next phase of EU-UK contact is not limited to trade or post-Brexit administration, but also extends to the wider security pressures now affecting European states and institutions.
The statement also said both leaders stressed the need to work together to reduce illegal migration. No operational detail was published, and the UK Government did not announce any new joint measure. Even so, the issue’s inclusion at leader level indicates that migration remains a standing item in EU-UK discussions rather than a peripheral concern. In the same passage, the readout referred to unfair competition and overcapacity in global markets. That wording is broad, but it points to shared concern about external market distortions and the pressure they can place on domestic industries. For businesses and trade officials, this suggests the summit may cover market conditions as well as security cooperation.
Artificial intelligence was also part of the discussion. Gov.uk said the two leaders reviewed work already under way on AI safety, including in connection with the UK’s Presidency of the G20 in 2027. This places AI governance within a live diplomatic timetable. It suggests the UK is already linking its 2027 G20 role to current discussions with major partners, and that contact with the European Commission could help shape common positions before the Manchester summit year begins.
The Prime Minister also said he looked forward to hosting the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Manchester next year. As the meeting took place on 22 September 2026, that refers to 2027. The reference is short, but it confirms that G20 preparation is now part of the Government’s external policy calendar. For departments, local authorities and delivery bodies, that matters because summit hosting is not only a diplomatic exercise. It also requires coordination on security, transport, venues and public communications, with Manchester explicitly identified as the host city.
The final line of the readout said both leaders agreed to stay in close touch. No new agreement was announced, and the statement should be read as a political signal rather than a detailed policy paper. Even so, it offers a useful guide to how both sides are framing the next phase of EU-UK engagement. Taken together, the official wording points to a relationship organised around practical cooperation on shared pressures: Ukraine, hostile interference, migration, market stress and AI safety. For the summit later in 2026, the test will be whether that broad agenda is converted into formal outcomes, working arrangements or joint positions.