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| E.U. Leaders, Struggling to Respond to Crises, Gather in Slovakia | E.U. Leaders, Struggling to Respond to Crises, Gather in Slovakia |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| After failing to quell a succession of crises, European Union leaders will gather in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, on Friday to seek a unified response to Britain’s decision to leave the bloc. | After failing to quell a succession of crises, European Union leaders will gather in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, on Friday to seek a unified response to Britain’s decision to leave the bloc. |
| The leaders are also expected to discuss upgrading their defense cooperation and cracking down on clandestine migration. But the meeting is described as “informal,” and major breakthroughs appear beyond grasp at this point. | The leaders are also expected to discuss upgrading their defense cooperation and cracking down on clandestine migration. But the meeting is described as “informal,” and major breakthroughs appear beyond grasp at this point. |
| Three months after the vote for “Brexit,” as Britain’s decision to leave the bloc is known, the European Union has done almost nothing to respond to the sentiment behind that vote — and it has shown few signs that it can take effective measures to address public concerns. | Three months after the vote for “Brexit,” as Britain’s decision to leave the bloc is known, the European Union has done almost nothing to respond to the sentiment behind that vote — and it has shown few signs that it can take effective measures to address public concerns. |
| Still, the summit meeting will be rich in symbolism: Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain will be excluded, a signal that the survival of the European Union will require the other 27 member states to make a fresh start. | Still, the summit meeting will be rich in symbolism: Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain will be excluded, a signal that the survival of the European Union will require the other 27 member states to make a fresh start. |
| A priority for many European leaders is halting the growth of populist movements that threaten mainstream parties before important elections in France, Germany and the Netherlands next year. | A priority for many European leaders is halting the growth of populist movements that threaten mainstream parties before important elections in France, Germany and the Netherlands next year. |
| The leaders are mindful that the European Union is widely regarded in some member states as an elite project that diminishes national sovereignty, and of the extent to which that has lifted the popularity of far-right parties that once appealed only to the fringe. | The leaders are mindful that the European Union is widely regarded in some member states as an elite project that diminishes national sovereignty, and of the extent to which that has lifted the popularity of far-right parties that once appealed only to the fringe. |
| The rise of Donald J. Trump in the United States and the British referendum in June on European Union membership have made those concerns even more acute. | The rise of Donald J. Trump in the United States and the British referendum in June on European Union membership have made those concerns even more acute. |
| Yet there are powerful players like Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, the bloc’s executive body, who continue to encourage joint European action in a wide range of areas, despite the discord. | Yet there are powerful players like Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, the bloc’s executive body, who continue to encourage joint European action in a wide range of areas, despite the discord. |
| “Never before have I seen so much fragmentation, and so little commonality in our union,” Mr. Juncker said on Wednesday in an annual State of the European Union speech. But, “only together are we, and will we, remain a force to be reckoned with.” | “Never before have I seen so much fragmentation, and so little commonality in our union,” Mr. Juncker said on Wednesday in an annual State of the European Union speech. But, “only together are we, and will we, remain a force to be reckoned with.” |
| Mr. Juncker also used his speech to voice support for the greater use of common military forces, the expansion of a joint investment fund that would amount to €630 billion, or about $700 billion, by early next decade, and the creation of a European version of the Peace Corps, a volunteer program run by the American government. | |
| Germany’s decision to open its doors last year to more than one million asylum seekers has left it somewhat diplomatically isolated, even among its allies. Eastern European countries, in particular, are increasingly going their own way. | Germany’s decision to open its doors last year to more than one million asylum seekers has left it somewhat diplomatically isolated, even among its allies. Eastern European countries, in particular, are increasingly going their own way. |
| The host of the meeting on Friday, Slovakia, is suing the European Union authorities over a quota system that requires it to accept Muslim refugees from Greece and Italy, where many asylum seekers first arrive in the bloc. | The host of the meeting on Friday, Slovakia, is suing the European Union authorities over a quota system that requires it to accept Muslim refugees from Greece and Italy, where many asylum seekers first arrive in the bloc. |
| Hungary will hold a referendum next month on whether to accept the mandatory quotas. In a sign of the growing acrimony, Luxembourg’s foreign minister suggested this week that Hungary should be thrown out of the European Union, in part over its policy toward refugees. | Hungary will hold a referendum next month on whether to accept the mandatory quotas. In a sign of the growing acrimony, Luxembourg’s foreign minister suggested this week that Hungary should be thrown out of the European Union, in part over its policy toward refugees. |
| The generally wealthier countries of northern Europe remain at odds with the poorer and more debt-ridden south over economic policy in general and austerity in particular. The bloc may soon need to decide how to prevent problems in the Italian banking sector from reaching a crisis point that would destabilize the euro. | The generally wealthier countries of northern Europe remain at odds with the poorer and more debt-ridden south over economic policy in general and austerity in particular. The bloc may soon need to decide how to prevent problems in the Italian banking sector from reaching a crisis point that would destabilize the euro. |
| Europe will also need to decide soon on whether to pursue, while President Obama is still in office, the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the United States, aimed at creating the world’s largest trading zone, at a time of strong popular opposition to the initiative in Austria, Germany and elsewhere. | Europe will also need to decide soon on whether to pursue, while President Obama is still in office, the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the United States, aimed at creating the world’s largest trading zone, at a time of strong popular opposition to the initiative in Austria, Germany and elsewhere. |
| As the bloc tries to define its future relationship with Britain, there is little scope for headway on Friday. | As the bloc tries to define its future relationship with Britain, there is little scope for headway on Friday. |
| Germany and several other countries, including the Netherlands, prefer a pragmatic approach that would offer Britain different options to preserve economic ties with Europe. | Germany and several other countries, including the Netherlands, prefer a pragmatic approach that would offer Britain different options to preserve economic ties with Europe. |
| Others, notably France, favor a tougher approach, to discourage other member states from leaving the bloc. | Others, notably France, favor a tougher approach, to discourage other member states from leaving the bloc. |
| The European leaders will press for something that would almost certainly not be on the agenda if Britain were still at the table: joint military headquarters. Leaders will also discuss expanding readily deployable European Union forces and increasing joint cooperation on military procurement. | The European leaders will press for something that would almost certainly not be on the agenda if Britain were still at the table: joint military headquarters. Leaders will also discuss expanding readily deployable European Union forces and increasing joint cooperation on military procurement. |
| Britain had long impeded steps that might have led to a joint European Union military, preferring to maintain the primacy of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. But such moves are favored by other influential countries, including France and Germany, which support closer military coordination on the Continent as a way to combat terrorism and to secure the bloc’s borders. Such plans could be formally endorsed in December. | Britain had long impeded steps that might have led to a joint European Union military, preferring to maintain the primacy of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. But such moves are favored by other influential countries, including France and Germany, which support closer military coordination on the Continent as a way to combat terrorism and to secure the bloc’s borders. Such plans could be formally endorsed in December. |
| Leaders are also expected on Friday to endorse allocating more police officers and equipment to help Bulgaria guard its southeastern border with Turkey and to help prevent another wave of mass migration. | Leaders are also expected on Friday to endorse allocating more police officers and equipment to help Bulgaria guard its southeastern border with Turkey and to help prevent another wave of mass migration. |
| The meeting will also include a discussion of plans to increase joint spending on infrastructure projects to help stimulate growth at a time when interest rates are already at record lows and many economists are calling for Europe to ease up on its austerity policies. | The meeting will also include a discussion of plans to increase joint spending on infrastructure projects to help stimulate growth at a time when interest rates are already at record lows and many economists are calling for Europe to ease up on its austerity policies. |
| In early July, as his nation took over the revolving presidency of the bloc, Prime Minister Robert Fico of Slovakia said that hosting European Union leaders in his country would send a signal that smaller member states could take a bigger voice in the bloc’s affairs. | In early July, as his nation took over the revolving presidency of the bloc, Prime Minister Robert Fico of Slovakia said that hosting European Union leaders in his country would send a signal that smaller member states could take a bigger voice in the bloc’s affairs. |
| There is growing disquiet in Central and Eastern Europe that policy making in Brussels has been dominated by larger countries like France and Germany — particularly in the area of migration. | There is growing disquiet in Central and Eastern Europe that policy making in Brussels has been dominated by larger countries like France and Germany — particularly in the area of migration. |
| The looming question is how much the meeting in Bratislava can contribute to addressing Europe’s biggest challenge: reversing the notion that pro-European leaders and the Brussels bureaucracy are promulgating a vision of Europe that is increasingly out of step with the political sentiment in much of the bloc. | The looming question is how much the meeting in Bratislava can contribute to addressing Europe’s biggest challenge: reversing the notion that pro-European leaders and the Brussels bureaucracy are promulgating a vision of Europe that is increasingly out of step with the political sentiment in much of the bloc. |
| Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, the body that organizes the bloc’s summit meetings, warned this week that moves toward centralization were increasingly unrealistic. The European Union “is often treated as a necessary evil,” he said, “not a common good.” | Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, the body that organizes the bloc’s summit meetings, warned this week that moves toward centralization were increasingly unrealistic. The European Union “is often treated as a necessary evil,” he said, “not a common good.” |