European Union leaders will hold a virtual summit this afternoon on the coronavirus emergency, with the agenda being dominated by questions of how to restore the EU to eventual economic normality, and how to mobilise huge levels of financial support to help the most vulnerable member states tackle the crisis.
President of the European Council, Charles Michel, has called for a Marshall Plan-style response, echoing the financial support shown to Europe by the United States following the devastation of World War II.
However, member states remain divided over what kinds of support should be used. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has co-signed a letter with eight other member states, including France, Italy and Spain, for the EU to issue what have been