The coronavirus has sent the EU into a tailspin, killing around 135,000 of its citizens and plunging its economy into an estimated contraction of 8.3 percent this year.
An alliance of "frugals", led by Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands and Chancellor Sebastian Kurz of Austria, has been resisting calls for the bulk of funds to be doled out as non-repayable grants.
The summit was supposed to end Saturday but more negotiations lay ahead for leaders as they dealt with their toughest crisis in years, one that has burdened the bloc with its worst recession ever.
Europe is in the depths of its deepest recession since World War II and the leaders are seeking common ground on the terms of $857 billion stimulus package that would help lift those hardest hit by the pandemic.
The EU and Britain are currently in negotiations to agree on a basis of trade relations after a post-Brexit transition phase ends on December 31.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel had video calls with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and President Xi Jinping, where they discussed ties, as well as China's security law for Hong Kong.
After British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's admission to an intensive care unit, many world leaders are wishing a quick recovery.
US President Donald Trump's sweeping travel ban drew an angry response from EU chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel who rebuked his "unilateral action" and called for cooperation to fight the pandemic.
While both sides have traded barbs on the refugee situation, they are working towards finding common ground to diffuse tensions on the Greek border.
“NATO is in a critical period in which it should clearly show the alliance’s solidarity [with Turkey],” President Erdogan told reporters during a press conference alongside NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg.
Differences were "still too great to reach an agreement," German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters at the end of the two days of talks in Brussels.
European Union leaders began talks on a joint 2021-27 budget that will need to fill $81 billion hole left by Britain's departure just as they face costly climate and other challenges.
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