When Sir Keir Starmer welcomed European leaders to a major summit at Blenheim Palace on Thursday, he seemed tiny next to the towering Albanian prime minister.

The Labour leader, who has only been in office for a few weeks, was photographed greeting Edi Rama, the 6ft 7in Albanian prime minister, at the entrance to the magnificent Oxfordshire estate.

Mr Rama’s imposing stature was further emphasized by his choice of casual shoes: he wore a pair of white sneakers that stood out from the formal attire of the others present.

The enormous difference in height between the two leaders – Starmer is only 5ft 8in tall – was a striking sight as Sir Keir hosted his first international meeting as Prime Minister.

The ‘Meeting of the European Political Community’ represents an important step in Mr Starmer’s efforts to improve relations between the UK and the EU after Brexit.

Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill, provided a historic backdrop for the meeting of European politicians.

The summit follows recent diplomatic efforts by the new Labour government, including Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds’ trip to Italy to forge new trading links, and represents a clear shift in foreign policy direction as Starmer seeks to improve relations with his European partners.

As the summit began, a steady stream of senior politicians arrived at the palace. French President Emmanuel Macron could be seen walking confidently up the steps, ready to engage in discussions on pressing European issues.

The controversial Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have also already arrived at Blenheim Palace.