Tusk on top EU jobs: closer but 'no white smoke'

President Donald Tusk said Friday the EU was "closer" to finding a compromise over the bloc's top jobs but an immediate breakthrough should not be expected ahead of a crunch Brussels summit.

EU leaders will meet on Sunday to thrash out a deal over the team that will guide the bloc for the next five years after a summit on Friday collapsed without an agreement.

Tusk said he would continue talks with top EU leaders including from France and Germany on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Osaka and was still negotiating behind the scenes with "12 or 13 phone calls" to other EU players.

"What I feel is that we are closer to the solution but still too far to say something more concrete today," said Tusk.

"Don't expect white smoke here in Osaka," he added, in reference to the selection of the pope and quipping: "For one thing, smoking is forbidden everywhere here."