Germany also feels responsible for ensuring that "in addition to protecting the external border, children, who are sick, particularly vulnerable, unaccompanied and in a difficult situation must be helped," stressed Chancellor Angela Merkel at a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Greece cannot manage all this alone. That is why Germany intends to shoulder "an appropriate part" of measures as part of a European-level "coalition of the willing", she announced.

At the same time the Chancellor stressed that the most important thing, and also the most difficult, is to address the root causes of migration, and provide people with prospects of a better future in their own countries. Illegal migration, in particular, must be combated and replaced by legal migration. The EU-Turkey Agreement makes provision for this. "2020 is not 2015," underscored the Chancellor. Citizens can expect politicians to manage to order, manage and reduce displacement and migration.

For a new level of the EU-Turkey Agreement

It is unacceptable for Turkey to attempt "to solve its own problems at the expense of refugees" who then find themselves stranded at the Turkish-Greek border, said the Chancellor.

That is why, underscored Angela Merkel, she is working with all her strength to "move the EU-Turkey Agreement to a new level". The aim, she continued, is to "order, manage and reduce displacement and migration". The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met leading EU office holders in Brussels on Monday evening.