German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday played down expectations that an EU summit next week will reach a solution on the issue of migration.
Speaking on a visit to Lebanon, Ms. Merkel said that “we know that no solution will be reached on Thursday and Friday at the level of the 28 member states... on the overall issue of migration”.
Instead, she said, “bilateral, trilateral and multilateral” deals must be reached to tackle the issue.
The comments came after Italy’s new coalition of far-right and anti-establishment parties made clear it does not want to take in more migrants.
Italy wants to send them away
Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini reiterated in comments to German news weekly Der Spiegel that “we cannot take in one more person. On the contrary: we want to send away a few.”