SIR Keir Starmer faces fresh migration woes as a long-awaited Rwanda-style deal is still out of reach.
Talks with Balkan nations to host return hubs are unlikely to end in a deal by the time the PM meets leaders tomorrow.
Government sources told The Sun negotiations still required a lot of work despite hopes the summit would be used as a signing ceremony.
The negotiations are continuing in the week small boat Channel crossings are set to smash last year’s total.
More than 36,700 migrants have arrived so far — just 82 off the 2024 figure. Yet only 42 have been sent back to France under the one-in, one-out deal.
Ministers hoped to secure a deal with at least one Balkan nation before the summit.
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But talks with Kosovo, Serbia, Bosnia and North Macedonia are still at an early stage.
Albania was initially approached but Prime Minister Edi Rama ruled it out earlier this year.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: “Labour made a catastrophic mistake cancelling the Rwanda returns deterrent before it started with no replacement.
“Their attempts to do a Kosovo returns deal now seem doomed to fail.”
But a Labour spokesperson added: “Our historic deal with the French means those who arrive on small boats are now being sent back.
“We will scale up these removals to France.
“And we will do whatever it takes to secure our borders.”
It comes after it was revealed migrants were being baptised in bathtubs in asylum hotels by a Christian charity.
Some may reportedly be converting to try to boost their asylum claims.
The Tories described the practice as “insanity”.
