"The most urgent question we should ask ourselves tonight is how to regain control of our external borders," Tusk told reporters hours before a summit begins in Brussels.
Tusk also called for ending "the cycle of mutual recriminations and misunderstandings" that has undercut EU efforts to forge a common response to the worst refugee crisis since World War II.
Europe is under increasing pressure over its handling of a huge influx of an estimated half a million migrants this year, many of them fleeing conflict and repression in Syria, Afghanistan and Eritrea.
- Tusk warned that the flow of refugees appeared set to increase.
"The conflicts in the Middle East, especially in Syria and Iraq, will not end anytime soon," he said.
He said there are eight million displaced people within Syria, while some four million people have fled to neighboring countries like Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon.
"This means today we're talking about millions of potential refugees trying to reach Europe, not thousands," the former Polish prime minister said.
He added that more refugees will flow toward Europe, "not less, especially since almost all of them feel invited," he added.
In Brussels on Tuesday, interior ministers approved plans to relocate 120,000 asylum seekers from overstretched frontline states such as Greece and Italy.
Tusk alluded to the arguments leading up to the vote which was bitterly opposed by Hungary, Romania, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, where there is strong anti-immigrant sentiment.
"We have now reached a critical point where we need to end this cycle of mutual recriminations and misunderstandings," Tusk said.
"Today our debate must be based on fact, not on illusions and emotions," he added.
Wednesday's leaders' summit will focus on the next steps, mainly strengthening the bloc's external borders and providing extra funds for Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon and U.N. agencies.
AFP
dailystar.com.lb
23/9/15
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