German Chancellor Angela Merkel stated that the EU cannot abandon Greece and Italy on the refugee crisis, after her meeting with Italian Prime Minister Mateo Renzi. Merkel underlined that that ever EU member states should realise that European exterior borders were common and demonstrate solidarity. ‘I will do everything I can to keep the borders open’, Merkel said. She continued by saying that Greece had received 60,000 refugees in the space of one month, an equivalent of Germany accepting over 400,000 over the same period. Merkel called on all European countries to share the burden of the crisis, praising the European Commission’s push for a just distribution of refugees across Europe. Merkel warned that either Europe defends its exterior borders or falls into the trap of nationalism. On his part, Mateo Renzi said that the EU-Turkey deal on the refugee crisis should receive further engouragement and support.