Angela Merkel, the EUs longest-serving leader, who is seen as a crucial broker in the talks, said she expected very, very difficult negotiations. But before getting down to business, gifts were exchanged. It was Merkels 66th birthday, and she was presented by Macron with a bottle of fine white bourgogne. Borisov gave her a traditional silver flask containing Bulgarian rose oil.

Merkel posed for a photo with Portugals prime minister, Antnio Costa, also marking his birthday. She gave him a copy of a 17th-century map of Goa, a former Portuguese colony where Costa has family ties.

Michel, the European council president, wished the pair a happy birthday and offered congratulations to the Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, who got married on Wednesday. She had had to change plans three times when a general election, coronavirus and then this weekends summit got in the way.

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