Remarks by President Donald Tusk after his meeting with Estonian Prime Minister Taavi Rõivas

I would like to thank Prime Minister Rõivas i for his warm welcome and for taking time during what I know is an intense political season in Estonia.

I have travelled to Tallinn today to consult with the Prime Minister ahead of our summit of 27 leaders in Bratislava i next week. We will be meeting to talk about what the European Union could and should look like after Brexit.

I know, that here, in Estonia the prospect of the UK leaving the Union is a shock, as the UK has been a great ally in questions you care about, such as free trade and the digital agenda, not to mention security policy. I am aware of questions that have arisen here because the UK will take the lead in deploying troops in Estonia as part of NATO's reassurance measures. I talked yesterday with Prime Minister Theresa May i and I can assure you that she shares our determination to keep the best and closest possible relations between the EU i and the U.K.

The meeting in Bratislava, however, is not about Brexit i per se but about how we organise the EU in the future. And this is exactly what I discussed today with Prime Minister Rõivas: It was important for me to hear your thoughts, Taavi, on how the EU could best respond to the concerns that so many Europeans have today: about irregular migration, the effects of globalisation, the slow recovery from the economic crisis, and the fear of terrorism, which has touched Estonia recently in a very direct way in Nice.

We need to show that we are aware, determined and capable of handling the biggest concerns. This is also why I will appeal to all 27 leaders next week in Bratislava to send concrete, operational support to Bulgaria to protect its border with Turkey, in the form of border guards and equipment.

To conclude, I would like to thank the Prime Minister and the Estonian government for having agreed to take on the task of the EU Presidency 6 months earlier than you had planned for. I am absolutely convinced that you will not only manage but will excel at it. The second half of 2017, when you will lead the work of the Council of the European Union i, promises to be an intense and critical time for the EU. I can think of no one else I would rather have in my corner at that time. Thank you.