The UK will put forward its initial reform plans at today’s EU Leaders Summit as the country prepares for its in/out vote on EU membership. These proposals will be discussed at a later date.

David Cameron met German Chancellor Angela Merkel for 45 minutes yesterday - the talks covered the UK’s membership of the Union, migration, and the Libyan crisis.

Northern Ireland

A cross-party committee in Northern Ireland has warned that Britain leaving the EU could create serious instability in the region - and that it would complicate its relationship with the Republic, and have a particularly negative impact on cross-border organisations.

Mr Putin

A key ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel has cautioned that Russian President, Vladimir Putin would be "happy" if Britain voted to leave the union and could even fund anti-EU efforts on British soil.

Norbert Rottgen, the chairman of the German Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee and a former minister in Ms Merkel’s cabinet, told Sky News that Mr Putin was already funding anti-EU efforts in other countries and could do in the UK.

When asked if the Russian President would be happy if Britain left the EU he said: "No doubt about that: yes he would be happy about that, no doubt about this, because everything which weakens the West and the Europeans is very much appreciated by Russia and Putin."

He added: "If he could contribute to driving a wedge between Britain and others he would do that certainly."

"This is the reason, for example, he finances Marine Le Pen and the Front Nationale because he wants to do everything he can to drive a wedge between the Europeans and between the US and the Europeans."

List of Demands

His warning comes as Mr Cameron prepares to present his renegotiation strategy to European leaders in a speech at a two-day summit in Brussels.

Mr Cameron wants his speech at the European Council summit to be a precursor to official discussions about reforming the UK's membership, ahead of a promised in/out referendum by the end of 2017.

However, an official schedule released in Brussels made clear that the UK's demands will not be discussed in either of the working sessions of the two-day summit.

British renegotiation is likely to be overshadowed by the continuing Greek debt crisis and the surge of migrants who are arriving in Europe across the Mediterranean.

The PM is yet to provide a conclusive list of the reforms he is seeking for Britain's relationship with Europe.

But his priorities include stopping EU migrants from being able to claim benefits during their first four years in the UK, and new powers to deport those who fail to find work within six months.

Mr Cameron has indicated that treaty change would be required to achieve these reforms, however, France is expected to be hostile to this request.

Additional reporting by IRN