The Taoiseach is due to meet his EU counterparts in Brussels early this afternoon, for the final EU summit of the year.
The Taoiseach is due to meet his EU counterparts in Brussels early this afternoon, for the final EU summit of the year.
UK Prime Minister Theresa May is invited to the first part of the meeting only.
Migration will feature strongly on today's agenda given the continuing crisis in Syria and the rising number of refugees fleeing the war; The EU-Turkey deal agreed to stem the number of migrants coming to Europe is under review and is likely to be extended.
European leaders will continue to condemn Russian aggression in Aleppo but fall short of applying new sanctions against Putin; instead agree to rollover the current ones due to expire in January.
Later on, without UK Prime Minister May, 27 leaders will discuss the processes necessary to begin negotiating with Britain as soon as it formally announces its intention to leave the EU, due to be to around March next year.
