Tusk told the delegates at the 40th anniversary of the formation of the European People Party:
"Obsessed with the idea of instant and total integration, we failed to notice that ordinary people, the citizens of Europe do not share our Euro-enthusiasm. Today, Euroskepticism, or even Euro-pessimism have become an alternative to those illusions. And increasingly louder are those who question the very principle of a united Europe. The specter of a break-up is haunting Europe and a vision of a federation doesn't seem to me like the best answer to it.
"It is us who today are responsible for confronting reality with all kinds of utopias. A utopia of Europe without nation states, a utopia of Europe without conflicting interests and ambitions, a utopia of Europe imposing its own values on the external world. A utopia of a Euro-Asian unity."
A vision of a federation does not seem the best answer to euro-scepticism, euro-pessimism and the spectre of a break-up is haunting Europe.
— Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) 30 May 2016
Europe is deeply divided over the migrant crisis, the way ahead for the Eurozone, the cracks in the Schengen zone, a possible Brexit having a domino effect and rising Euroskepticism throughout Europe with surges in support for right- and left-wing parties.
Migrant Crisis
More than a million migrants crossed into Europe in 2016, causing many EU member states to shore up their borders — in a complete contradiction to the central principle of an open Europe.
204,311 migrants incl refugees arrived by sea to Europe 2,443 dead/missing https://t.co/Dc8umzcLLs #MigrationEurope pic.twitter.com/ybSgZCbVhv
— IOM (@IOM_news) May 31, 2016
The International Organization for Migration reports that an estimated 204,311 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea in 2016 through 30 May, arriving in Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Spain.
So far, fewer than 1,000 refugees have been relocated from Italy and Greece under a deal brokered in September 2015.
EU-Turkey Deal
The migrant crisis has led to the European Commission, negotiating a deal with Turkey, under which "irregular migrants" — those refused asylum in Italy and Greece — will be relocated back to Turkey in a process which the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and many NGOs say is immoral, if not in contravention of the Geneva Convention.
Eurozone Crisis
With Greece struggling to meet the conditions of its third bailout agreement and Spain, Italy and Portugal on the brink of warning over breaches to the Eurozone stability mechanism, the single currency is looking shaky.
Brexit
With Britain going to the polls on June 23 for an In-Out referendum on the UK's membership of the EU, many across Europe are demanding — whichever way Britons vote — similar referendums.
Other say that if Britain leaves, it will have a domino effect and the EU will collapse.
