Deep discord as EU leaders meet for tough spending talks: Merkel

Reuters

Published Jul 17, 2020 04:13AM ET

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union leaders face very tough talks over a proposed budget and recovery plan to lift the bloc from an economic crisis sparked by the coronavirus pandemic, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday, pointing to deep differences.

"We are all going into the talks with a lot of vigour but I must say that the differences are still very, very big and so I can't yet say whether we will get a solution this time already," Merkel said as she arrived at the summit.