'Make or break' summit for British deal: EU's Tusk

(BRUSSELS) - EU president Donald Tusk warned Thursday that difficult negotiations were still needed to seal a deal to keep Britain in the bloc at what he called a "make-or break" summit in Brussels.

"We are in the middle of still very difficult and sensitive negotiations on the UK question. One thing is clear to me though: this is a make or break summit," Tusk told reporters on his way into the meeting.

Former Polish premier Tusk, who chairs the summit and has led negotiations on a possible British deal, is due to hold one-on-one talks with British Prime Minister David Cameron before the meeting.

He warned on Monday that the "risk of break-up is real" for the EU over the British question.

Tusk's proposals for a British deal have run into opposition in several quarters, especially from France over protection for non-eurozone countries and from Eastern Europe over limits to benefits for EU migrants.

European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said earlier that he was "quite confident" of an agreement at the summit, which Cameron wants so he can hold a referendum on Britain's EU membership in June.