By Bruno Waterfield - 22nd February 2005
George W Bush continues his European tour with a packed day in Brussels at the seats of NATO and the EU.
After an early morning breakfast with UK leader, and close ally, Tony Blair, the US president meets Ukraine’s new President Viktor Yushchenko.
Yushchenko is in town to lobby hard for Ukraine’s early entry to the EU over the next two days.
Bush meets Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi before heading to NATO’s Brussels HQ.
NATO’s heads of state and government will focus on military engagements in Afghanistan, the Balkans and Iraq.
“Political dialogue in NATO on key Trans-Atlantic issues” will also be discussed and controversial German plans for a re-think of the 56-year old alliance will surface.
Yushchenko attends a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission at the highest level.
NATO Secretary General Japp de Hoop Scheffer hold a joint press conference with George W Bush at 1.15pm (CET)
Bush attends an EU-US summit with Europe’s heads of state and government at 4.00pm – a joint press conference will be held at 5.45pm (CET).
In a carefully orchestrated meeting ten EU leaders will be putting forward views on a range of key issues.
French President Jacques Chirac will speak on European integration, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair on the Middle East peace process and German leader Gerhard Schroeder on Iran.
Slovakia's leader Mikulas Dzurinda will lead on Iraq, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero on Mediterranean relations, Austrian leader Wolfgang Schuessel on the Balkans and Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern on Russia.
The Hungarian leader Ferenc Gyurcsany will speak on Ukraine, the Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende on counter-terrorism and Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson on the millennium development goals.
With a time limit of only 90 minutes for the discussion, Bush will be able to respond with the US view.
The US president then crosses the road from the EU Council building to the European Commission’s Berlaymont HQ.
Commission President José Manuel Barroso, EU external relations chief Benita Ferrero-Waldner and Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson will host Bush at 6.20pm.
Bush will be accompanied by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, National Security Advisor Steve Hadley, and White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card.
Bush’s visit to EU institutions will close with a working dinner presided over by Barroso.
Around the table will be Prime Minister of Luxembourg, and holder of the EU presidency Jean-Claude Juncker, his country’s Foreign Jean Asselborn, and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.
The dinner will also be attended by Ferrero-Waldner and Mandelson.
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