"We, Germany and France, are in full agreement that we must protect our external borders." Angela Merkel underscored the common position of Germany and France on the need for a European solution to the crisis. "We are both convinced that unilateral solutions do not help us. We can see that this has not led to any lasting reduction in the influx of refugees. Even if fewer refugees are arriving in Germany at the moment, this is not a sustainable solution, because it simply means that Greece is facing more serious problems."

For a pan-European solution

France’s President and the Chancellor met in Paris for close consultations prior to the EU-Turkey summit and the special meeting of the European Council on Monday. The summit will be taking stock of the current status of the EU-Turkey agenda, in particular "what has been achieved and what must still be done to stem illegal migration".

The Chancellor underlined the immensity of the challenge facing Turkey in the refugee crisis. That is why it is "legitimate and right" that the EU is providing three billion euros for concrete refugee projects to support Turkey.

Turkey has already taken a large number of steps including addressing visa requirements for a large number of countries and awarding refugees in Turkey work permits. Turkey has also agreed to NATO surveillance operations in the Aegean. This week, the Turkish government is to take back a larger number of refugees from Greece, for the first time.

France provides ship for NATO operation

The French President announced that France would provide a ship for the NATO operation in the Aegean. France will thus be supporting common European efforts to protect the EU’s external borders.

On Monday 7 March, the heads of state or government of the 28 EU member states will meet with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu. They will explore what has been achieved to date with respect to the EU-Turkey agenda in the refugee crisis, and how the agenda can be carried forward. This meeting is to be followed by an extraordinary European Council meeting. The European Council President Donald Tusk issued the invitation to attend.

European heads of government – working for peace in Syria

Earlier the four European heads of state and government Angela Merkel, François Hollande, David Cameron and Matteo Renzi held a telephone conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Participants stressed that the ceasefire in Syria must be respected. It was "important that we talked together, four European heads of government, to the Russian President Vladimir Putin," said the Chancellor at her meeting in the Elysee Palace. In this way the four European heads of government "once again demonstrated their shared responsibility".