POLITICS
(Brussels) The President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, does not hide the difficulties, while remaining “cautiously optimistic” in his traditional invitation letter to the 28 EU Heads of State and Government ahead of the summit in Brussels on 20 and 21 June. “After the European elections we agreed to try and appoint the new leaders of the EU institutions in June. Over the past 3 weeks – he wrote – I have been consulting closely and regularly with you as well as with the European Parliament and its political group leaders” (pictured). “These consultations have shown that there are different views, different interests, but also a common will to finalise this process before the first session of the European Parliament” in Strasbourg on 2 July. “To this end, I will continue to consult you one by one up until the summit starts. I remain cautiously optimistic. I hope we can make it on Thursday”. The European Council will start tomorrow at 3pm with a speech by the President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, followed by the adoption of the “conclusions on the Multiannual Financial Framework, climate change, disinformation and hybrid threats as well as external relations”. President Tusk also intends to approve, in these few hours, the EU’s Strategic Agenda for 2019-2024. On Friday, the leaders will gather in the Euro Summit and will take stock of Brexit.
