David Cameron and Angela Merkel in midnight face-off over leadership of EU

 
Table talk: David Cameron and Barack Obama at the start of today’s session of the G7 in Brussels (Picture: EPA)
5 June 2014

David Cameron locked horns with Angela Merkel in after-midnight talks about Europe’s future leadership.

The pair squared up in a “candid” meeting of their own following a dinner for world leaders in Brussels.

Although No 10 sources said the tone was also friendly and constructive, there was no sign that they got closer to agreeing a candidate for president of the European Commission, an issue that has caused angry clashes between Britain and Germany.

Leaders of the G7 countries gathered in Brussels to hammer out deals on trade, economic policy and foreign affairs — and press Russia to stop “unacceptable interference” in Ukraine. After dinner, Mr Cameron whisked Mrs Merkel to the British residence for talks in a bid to persuade her to drop arch-federalist Jean-Claude Juncker as Germany’s candidate for EC president.

Leadership: David Cameron with Angela Merkel and Barack Obama (Picture: PA)

He stressed the EU should focus on the public worries behind large-scale protest votes in the European elections, in which Right-wing and anti-EU parties did well. A No 10 source said: “They had friendly, candid, constructive discussions in keeping with how their bilaterals usually are and in the spirit of finding consensus.” No 10 would not say whether IMF boss Christine Lagarde was discussed as an alternative candidate.

Earlier the German Chancellor paid Britain a warm compliment in a speech in Berlin. Acknowledging to angry German MPs that Britain was “not always a comfortable partner”, she said it had also “given a great deal to Europe” and asked: “What would have become of Europe if the British hadn’t dared to put their very existence at risk?”

Last night’s dinner saw the G7 unite to press Russian President Vladimir Putin to wind down the crisis in east Ukraine. But Mr Putin today dismissed accusations that he was orchestrating unrest. He ridiculed US claims that it had proof: “The entire world remembers the US secretary of state demonstrating evidence of Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, waving around some test tube with washing powder.”

Mr Cameron will take the G7 message to Mr Putin tonight when they meet for talks at Paris airport en route to D-Day commemorations. He will argue the election of new Ukraine president Petro Poroshenko is a chance for talks.

Speaking last night, Mr Cameron said: “This is the first summit without Russia since the Nineties. Until they change course, they need to understand they will face continuing isolation.”

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