EU leaders to hold video summit on virus crisis

- European Union leaders will hold an emergency videoconference on Tuesday aimed at coordinating their response to the coronavirus outbreak, EU Council President Charles Michel announced.

The emergency meeting comes as Europe has struggled to draw up a unified response to the virus, with smaller countries accusing France and Germany of going it alone by banning exports of some medical supplies.

Michel, who coordinates EU summits, tweeted that he would hold a "conference call shortly" with the bloc's heads of state or government, which an EU source said would probably be on Tuesday afternoon.

"We need to cooperate in order to protect the health of our citizens," he said.

French President Emmanuel Macron also announced the meeting, stressing: "To deal with COVID-19, unity is strength."