国际英语资讯:Spotlight: EU summit concludes but debate on EU future, unity continues_时事

国际英语资讯:Spotlight: EU summit concludes but debate on EU future, unity continues

Talking about the "multi-speed" version of future, Tusk said he understood the reasons for the debate.

"However, considering the interests of the community of 27 countries in the context of the upcoming Brexit negotiations as well as the long-term strategic interests of the EU, I will be urging everyone to strive towards maintaining political unity among the 27."

"It is clear from the debate that the unity of the 27 will be our most precious asset," he stressed.

As no document on the future of Europe emerged from the meeting of 27 EU leaders on Friday, the debate on the issue is likely to continue. The picture may only become a little clearer later this month when EU's leaders minus Britain are due to make a declaration on Europe's future at the Rome summit, in which they are expected to set out a post-Brexit road map.

BREXIT CHALLENGE AHEAD

The summit was the last attended by Theresa May before she triggers Article 50 at the end of this month, the start of a two-year process that will see the UK leave the EU, and Brexit cast a long shadow over proceedings.

Since the Brexit referendum in June 2016, the British government has so far refused to offer any formal reassurance to the 3.1 million EU citizens living in the UK, insisting it could harm its effort to secure the rights of the 1.2 million British nationals estimated to be living in other EU countries.

On the margins of the summit, the chief Brexit negotiator at the European Parliament, Guy Verhofstadt, said British citizens should be allowed to keep the benefits of EU membership.