The leaders of the European Union (EU) and the United States began their summit here Sunday to discuss transatlantic relations and cooperation on energy security, climate change and international affairs, Xinhua reported.
This is the first such summit for U.S. President Barack Obama, who is on an eight-day five-nation European tour, and gathers leaders of all the 27 EU member states, a rarity in recent years.
The meeting provides another opportunity for leaders across the Atlantic to listen to each other following the Group of 20 financial summit in London and the just concluded NATO summit.
During the NATO summit in Strasbourg and Kehl, Obama spoke of repairing EU-U.S. relations, strained due to the unilateral policies of the Bush administration, but also called for greater responsibility sharing to boost global peace and security.
During his talks with EU leaders, Obama is expected to reaffirm a conciliatory tone in improving ties with European nations. He will also ask Europeans to send more troops to Afghanistan and take in some detainees from the U.S. detention base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
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