Remarks to Congress by the US ambassador to the EU, Gordon Sondland, have shed light on the unusual nature of American diplomacy under president Donald Trump.

Denmark, France and the Netherlands opposed opening talks on EU accession with Albania and North Macedonia in a blow that may invite greater Russian influence in the Balkan region.

It is too easy only to criticise the rightists and their fixation with barbed wire, Trump for his wall on the border with Mexico, Orban for his xenophobia.

EU leaders on Thursday night endorsed the deal reached by EU and UK negotiators - now it is up to British PM Boris Johnson to convince a majority of MPs to ratify the agreement in a showdown on Saturday.

Time and again, across the world, efforts to "decapitate" non-violent movements, and refusals to engage in political dialogue with them, have led to situations like we are seeing today in Catalonia.

The EU and the UK has agreed to a revised Brexit deal that drops the contentious backstop on the island of Ireland, and "sqaures the circle" of keeping the Irish border open. EU leaders are expected to endorse it Thursday.