Image source, Pool

Scholz now turns to diplomatic relations between the UK and Germany more broadly.

He says he is "happy" about Starmer's desire for a reset in relations between the two countries.

The UK has always been an "indispensable partner", he says, and that hasn't changed since Brexit.

He says contact between the two societies has declined after Brexit and Covid, and he wants to change that.

Scholz talks about the UK and Germany's joint stance on supporting Ukraine, and announces a €4bn draft budget in bilateral aid in addition to the G7's $50bn loan to provide reliable financial support.

Scholz says the pair have "dealt with a situation in Ukraine today" but reassures that the UK and Germany stand "firmly by their side".

Image source, Getty Images

Scholz says a planned new treaty will reflect the whole spectrum of the two nations' relations, saying such a treaty has not existed between them before.

Both countries also want to deepen co-operation through government-to-government consultations, he says, adding that they are already co-ordinating closely.

They want to strengthen the European pillar in Nato, and closer cooperation in security will play an important role, he adds.

After a slightly delayed start, Starmer and Scholz are now at their respective lecterns.

The German chancellor begins by congratulating Starmer on becoming prime minister.

He calls the UK and Germany "good friends" and "trusted allies". He says the pair will work hard to make the relationship thrive.

Image source, Reuters

Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz are about to speak at a joint news conference in Berlin.

We'll bring you live updates, and you can follow along by pressing watch live at the top of this page.

Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent, reporting from Berlin

We’ve heard the word “reset” an awful lot from Sir Keir Starmer whenever he has met a European leader in his short time as prime minister.

We’re hearing it again today. But more than vibes, this first official visit to Germany as prime minister is an opportunity for the prime minister to begin putting meat on those bones.

What we’re going to hear from Starmer today is designed to move beyond warm words, most notably with the announcement of negotiations on a treaty between the UK and Germany.

But expect journalists at the news conference shortly to zero in on what exactly a treaty could meaningfully entail given the UK is outside the European Union and Germany is very much at its heart.

Ben Hatton
Live reporter

The prime minister is meeting the German chancellor to kick start negotiations on a new bilateral treaty.

The government hopes, external this will boost business and trade, deepen defence and security co-operation, and increase joint action on illegal migration.

While the details are not known at this stage, it’s expected to be modelled in part on the Lancaster House treaties between the UK and France, which focuses on defence co-operation.

It was signed in 2010 under David Cameron’s Conservative government.

Image source, Getty Images

Last month, the UK and Germany issued a joint declaration committing to closer co-operation on “defence-related” areas.

Germany is a member of the EU, and cannot negotiate its own trade deals with the UK.

But the UK government hopes that closer “defence industrial collaboration”, as it puts it in last month's declaration, could impact things like research and development and procurement.

Solingen knife attack used in political campaigns ahead of votepublished at 10:41 British Summer Time 28 August

10:41 BST 28 August

Damien McGuinness
Reporting from Berlin

Keir Starmer has expressed his condolences to the German people for Friday’s stabbing in Solingen, in which three people died.

The tragedy shocked Germany, but is also creating a political earthquake.

On Sunday, two large eastern German states hold key regional elections.

And at rallies, the anti-immigration far-right AfD, which was already predicted to do well before the attack, is directly blaming Olaf Scholz’s government for the tragedy.

The suspect is an asylum seeker who was supposed to be deported.

Within hours of the killing, AfD leaders were using the word Solingen in anti-refugee campaign rhetoric on social media.

For most voters, this will look like the cynical abuse of a tragedy to score political points.

But mainstream parties are so terrified that the AfD may win the most votes on Sunday, they have dramatically escalated the tough talk on migration.

Conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz says he is ready to work with the government, and has announced concrete proposals.

But some ideas, such as closing all borders to asylum seekers, are unworkable, others are legally questionable.

He knows this. His real aim is to create rifts within the chancellor’s already argumentative coalition.

The conservative leader is effectively launching his election campaign, based on a clamp-down on migration, for next year’s national parliamentary vote.

Image source, Reuters

Keir Starmer and Olaf Scholz's meeting at the Bundeskanzleramt - the German chancellery - today marks the fifth time the pair have met since Starmer became PM last month.

Here's a timeline of when they've convened over those few weeks :

• 10 July: Starmer met Scholz after landing in Washington DC ahead of the Nato summit
• 14 July: As Spain and England faced off at the UEFA Euro 2024 final in Olympiastadion Berlin, Starmer and Scholz briefly met
• 18 July: The pair both gathered for the European Political Community meeting 2024 at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire to hold bilateral discussions
• 26 July: They both attended the Paris Olympics opening ceremony along with other world leaders

The UK prime minister and German chancellor are still outside the Bundeskanzleramt, where they've been inspecting troops together.

Image source, EPA

Image source, Reuters

We've just had more pictures of the prime minister's arrival at the German chancellery...

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

We're now seeing Keir Starmer arrive at Bundeskanzleramt - the German chancellery - to greet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

The military band welcomed him with a rendition of God Save the King. As a reminder, you can watch our live coverage by pressing Watch live at the top of the page.

The mood music is good. But does that matter?published at 08:46 British Summer Time 28 August

08:46 BST 28 August

Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent, reporting from Berlin

Good morning from the Bundeskanzleramt, or the German chancellery, where dozens of German soldiers have assembled, ready to welcome Sir Keir Starmer.

The mood music is undoubtedly good: a commitment from both governments to negotiate within just six months a treaty spanning trade, defence, illegal migration and plenty else besides.

But the question is how much this treaty will prove to be symbolism, and how much it will practically alter the UK’s post-Brexit relationship with Germany.

Downing Street say they want to smooth market access for UK businesses to Germany. But how far is that really possible given Germany’s membership of the EU single market?

The prime minister is adamant that he is not reopening the fundamentals of the UK’s post-Brexit settlement. We will find out over the next six months how much is really possible within that.

Image source, EPA

During his visit, Keir Starmer will repeat his condolences to the German people following the attack in Solingen on Friday, in which three people were killed.

The suspect is a 26-year-old man from Syria who came to Germany as an asylum seeker, but whose application for asylum was rejected. He is accused of links to the Islamic State group.

"This was terrorism, terrorism against us all," Scholz said during a visit to Solingen on Monday.

The attack has intensified the debate in Germany about migration policy. Scholz says his government will do "everything we can to ensure that those who cannot and should not stay here in Germany are repatriated and deported".

Image source, PA Media

Nils Schmid, the foreign affairs spokesman for Chancellor Scholz's Social Democratic Party, has been speaking to our colleagues on Radio 4's Today programme.

He says Scholz and Starmer are "more or less on the same page" when it comes to UK-EU relations.

"There is a constant push by the German government to bring the UK closer to Europe and to facilitate co-operation between Great Britain and the European Union in as many fields as possible, ranging from trade to student mobility rights to defence.

"And then, of course, there's also the idea of not only preparing the ground for a EU-UK agreement, but also to strengthen the bilateral ties between Germany and Great Britain."

A youth mobility scheme was "a major feature of our wish list", Schmid adds.

"This is about facilitating access of youth to Great Britain for stays of limited duration, for purposes like educational programmes, youth exchange or student exchange," he says.

Image source, PA Media

Before meeting Chancellor Scholz, Starmer is meeting President Frank-Walter Steinmeier - the German head of state, which is largely a ceremonial role.

The PM signed the guestbook at the Bellevue Palace in Berlin in an entrance hall decked with red, white and blue flowers.

Starmer is the first British prime minister to visit the palace since David Cameron in 2015.

Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent, reporting from Berlin

Less than two months into his tenure, this is the prime minister’s fifth meeting with the German chancellor - which Downing Street says is evidence of Keir Starmer’s drive to "reset" Britain’s relationship with Europe.

As he arrived in Berlin last night, the prime minister said he wanted to "turn a corner on Brexit" and “fix the broken relationships" with the EU’s biggest players.

In a meeting with Chancellor Scholz, both leaders will declare their ambition to sign a treaty covering defence cooperation, trade and illegal migration.

It will be modelled in part on the Lancaster House treaties between the UK and France - and both sides want the negotiations to conclude within six months.

Image source, PA Media

Prime Minister Keir Starmer is in Berlin to meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as he aims to "reset" the UK's relationship with Europe.

The pair are expected to discuss support for Ukraine, defence and security co-operation, and increasing joint action on illegal migration.

As well as Scholz, Starmer is meeting German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Tonight, he'll be in France for the Paralympics opening ceremony, before talks with President Macron tomorrow.

"We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reset our relationship with Europe and strive for genuine, ambitious partnerships that deliver for the British people," Starmer says.

"We must turn a corner on Brexit and fix the broken relationships left behind by the previous government."

Stay here for all the news, analysis, and key moments.