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EU leaders make defence ties a priority EU extends Russia sanctions over Ukraine
(about 5 hours later)
EU leaders are looking to boost security and defence co-operation as they try to tackle crises in Europe's neighbourhood. EU leaders meeting in Brussels have agreed to extend economic sanctions against Russia for six more months.
They are reacting to the destruction of Aleppo, migrant pressure from Africa and Ukraine's conflict with Russia. Earlier France and Germany complained that the Minsk peace deal for Ukraine was still not being fulfilled.
"We are facing multiple crises, with fires in every corner, and not just in Europe's corners," EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said. Russia's military interventions - first in Ukraine, then in Syria - are high on the EU summit agenda.
One such corner is Turkey, struggling with 2.7 million Syrian refugees. But Italy and Slovakia want an easing of sanctions that have cost EU exporters billions of euros.
The EU sees its controversial March 2016 deal with Turkey as a model for similar deals in Africa. The Brussels summit is focusing on the crises in Europe's neighbourhood - the destruction of Aleppo and exodus of Syrian refugees, migrant pressure from Africa and Ukraine's conflict with Russia.
Since March the numbers of migrants coming ashore in Greece has fallen dramatically but Turkey accuses the EU of blocking its EU ambitions and failing to meet financial pledges. Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014 triggered the first round of sanctions.
Other stories:Other stories:
Meanwhile, Italy says record numbers of African migrants reached its shores this year. Nigeria and Eritrea are the top countries of origin. Dire poverty drives many towards Europe. They have been ratcheted up, targeting Russian arms exporters, banks and individuals - many of them close to President Vladimir Putin - blamed for the pro-Russian insurgency in Ukraine.
'Denounce the massacres' But this summit will also be remembered for its new language on ties with Ukraine - setting limits to EU support.
On arrival at the Brussels summit, French President Francois Hollande condemned the bombing of civilians besieged in eastern Aleppo by Syrian government troops backed by Russian forces. The far-reaching EU-Ukraine Association Agreement was stalled by a Dutch referendum in April, when Dutch voters rejected it.
He said a civilian corridor must be created to let desperate men, women and children escape the bombing, and to get the wounded to nearby first aid facilities. So the leaders addressed Dutch anxieties with a new, legally binding EU text. "The Agreement does not confer on Ukraine the status of a candidate country for accession to the Union, nor does it constitute a commitment to confer such status to Ukraine in the future," it said.
"Europe must make its voice heard... it must denounce the massacres," he said. "The EU will not offer Ukrainians the right to reside and work in the EU, nor offer EU military assistance. Any such help is a matter for individual governments."
EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini also urged the Syrian government to stop the bombing and called for a "true political transition in Damascus". Change in Syria had to be "inclusive for the country - it cannot be built on the ruins of Aleppo or other cities", she said. Joint defence
Russia's military assertiveness is among the many issues on the table in Brussels. The EU's Baltic members - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - are among those urging closer EU defence ties with Nato. After a late lunch the leaders moved on to EU defence and security co-operation. They want to strengthen EU-Nato links in key areas, including "hybrid threats" - such as cyber-attacks - and maritime security.
Russia has stepped up its Baltic air patrols and military presence in the strategic Kaliningrad region. Poland and the Baltic members - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - have not only urged the EU to support Ukraine, but also voiced alarm over Russia's heightened military presence in the Baltic.
The EU plans to forge ahead with Nato in some key areas, including maritime security and joint exercises and tackling "hybrid threats" such as cyber attacks. Russia is accused of "provocative" air patrols and missile deployments in the strategic Kaliningrad region.
Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will brief the 28 leaders on those ambitions.
The EU Commission has put forward a "European Defence Action Plan", envisaging much more pooling of EU defence capabilities.The EU Commission has put forward a "European Defence Action Plan", envisaging much more pooling of EU defence capabilities.
According to the draft summit conclusions, this defence roadmap will be developed speedily next year. The draft summit conclusions say this defence roadmap will be developed speedily in 2017.
The Commission says European defence is too fragmented and wasteful, and complains that the EU has 19 types of armoured infantry fighting vehicle, compared with one in the US. The Commission says European defence is too fragmented and wasteful. It criticises the duplication - the EU has 19 types of armoured infantry fighting vehicle, compared with one in the US.
The UK has warned that joint EU military efforts must not duplicate Nato and it is strongly opposed to any idea of a European army. UK warning
Such a prospect is not on the table but closer military co-operation is, in the run-up to the UK's Brexit negotiations. The UK has warned that joint EU military efforts must not duplicate Nato, and it is strongly opposed to the idea of a European army. Such a proposal is not on the table, but the EU is discussing closer military co-operation, ahead of the UK's Brexit negotiations.
An added worry for the EU is US President-elect Donald Trump's warning that Europe must spend more on defence. Some EU countries fall short of Nato targets for defence spending.An added worry for the EU is US President-elect Donald Trump's warning that Europe must spend more on defence. Some EU countries fall short of Nato targets for defence spending.
The Commission points out that the "EU's security situation has deteriorated significantly". The EU Commission says "the EU's security situation has deteriorated significantly".
Since Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014, the EU has ratcheted up sanctions against Russia and watched tensions in the Baltic with growing alarm. "We are facing multiple crises - there are fires in every corner, and not just in Europe's corners," EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker told German ZDF TV.
The EU leaders will discuss the far-reaching EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, which has been put on hold since a Dutch referendum in April, when Dutch voters rejected it. One such corner is Turkey, struggling with 2.7m Syrian refugees - far more than in any EU country.
An EU deal is needed to break the impasse, as the Dutch government is worried about any long-term EU commitment to bring Ukraine into the bloc or to give Ukraine defence assistance. The EU sees its controversial March deal with Turkey as a model for similar deals in Africa.
The leaders do not plan to modify the agreement but legally binding words may be found to satisfy the Netherlands. Since March the numbers of migrants coming ashore in Greece has fallen dramatically, but Turkey accuses the EU of blocking its EU ambitions and failing to meet funding pledges.
Meanwhile, Italy says record numbers of African migrants have reached its shores this year. Nigeria and Eritrea are the top countries of origin. Dire poverty drives many towards Europe.
The suffering of Syrian civilians in devastated Aleppo overshadowed the one-day summit.
"Europe must make its voice heard," French President Francois Hollande said, condemning the bombardment by Syrian government forces and Russian warplanes.
As the leaders met, a bus convoy began taking desperate civilians to safety, out of the city's besieged rebel-held area.
EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini called for "a true political transition in Damascus". She said it must be "inclusive... it cannot be built on the ruins of Aleppo or other cities".