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EU leaders pledge extra €1 billion to tackle refugee crisis

The "greatest tide" of refugees is yet to come, Europe's leaders have been warned as they pledged another €1 billion (£733 million) to tackle the crisis.

Heads of state were locked in talks for more than five hours in Brussels as they attempted to overcome divisions and find a unified response.

Speaking after the emergency summit, European Council president Donald Tusk said while they had taken a step in the right direction, the policy of "open doors and windows" must be corrected.

Prime Minister David Cameron - who committed an extra £115 million in aid - said a "comprehensive approach" was needed to solve the crisis.

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Merkel: 'We are still far from where we need to be'

German chancellor Angela Merkel has called on the US, Russia and the Middle East states to help Europe conquer the refugee crisis as she admitted "we are still far from where we need to be".

Chancellor Merkel said the agreements made at the EU meeting was a first step towards finding a solution to the spread of refugees across Europe. Credit: Reuters

Ms Merkel said the way the crisis was tackled would shape Europe in the long term but said the extraordinary meeting of leaders in Brussels had sent out a signal of unity along with a pledge of more than €1 billion (£733 million) to fund new proposals to deal with the refugees.

She said all the participants of the EU meeting had recognised the scale of the refugee problem.

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EU leaders pledge extra €1 billion to tackle refugee crisis

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