Refugee issue could scupper the entire EU

European Union leaders have pressed Turkey to take back thousands of migrants and prevent others from setting off for Europe. But will that really offer a solution, asks Ann Cahill, Europe Correspondent

‘WE ARE the richest continent in the world — 500m citizens — and seem not to be able to cope with one to two million refugees reaching our continent,” says Jean Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission.

He and others warn that this is not just a tragedy for the thousands of women, men and children sleeping in the cold and wet on Europe’s borders, hungry, sick, even tear-gassed, as they pray to be let through.