During the UK meeting, the prime minister and Ursula von der Leyen are expected to try to resolve "a range of complex challenges" surrounding the protocol.

The UK is seeking to amend the protocol with the EU, which stipulates that certain goods are checked upon entry from Great Britain.

For days, a new deal was expected.

Dominic Raab, Deputy Prime Minister, stated earlier that the UK and EU were on the "cusp" of a deal and that some issues had been "moved by the EU.

More details have emerged about the meeting between Mr. Sunak and Ms von der Leyen, which is set to take place around late lunchtime in Berkshire.

If a deal is reached it will be announced on Monday with the leaders holding a joint conference press conference after the cabinet has received updates on the talks.

The prime minister would then address the House of Commons.

Both Tory and Labour MPs have been told by their respective whips to come to Parliament on Monday.

Downing Street said: "The prime minister wants to ensure any deal fixes the practical problems on the ground, ensures trade flows freely within the whole of the UK, safeguards Northern Ireland's place in our Union, and returns sovereignty to the people of Northern Ireland."

There have been "hundreds of hours of talks" during the "intensive negotiations with the EU", the spokesperson added, saying "positive, constructive progress has been made".

The Northern Ireland Protocol was agreed upon under former PM Boris Johnson as part of the process of the UK leaving the European Union.

It means Northern Ireland has continued to follow some EU laws so that goods can flow freely over the border to the Republic of Ireland without checks.

Instead, goods arriving from England, Scotland, and Wales are checked when they reach Northern Irish ports.

Critics, including Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), feel this undermines the nation's position within the rest of the UK, as well as impacting trade.

The party has complained about what it calls a "democratic deficit", with Northern Ireland being subject to EU rules while not having a say on them. The party has prevented a Northern Ireland devolved government from forming, leaving it in political gridlock.

BBC chief political correspondent Nick Eardley said that while officials had been negotiating over the weekend, "leader-level talks are needed to discuss final details".

"Sources in government have repeatedly said that not everyone will get everything they want from the agreement - but the priority is addressing issues with the protocol and protecting the Good Friday agreement," he said.

"There is no expectation in Westminster that the DUP will endorse the deal immediately and many believe it will not be enough to tempt them back to Stormont."

Some Conservative MPs could also rebel against the government in any vote in Parliament, our correspondent added, with Brexiteer Tories wanting lawyers to scrutinise the text.

Am speechless

Pls end the war