EU President Jean-Claude Juncker claims historic Brexit vote has threatened the survival of the Union
Mr Juncker also calls for further pan-European co-operation in the field of security and defence in landmark speech
LOATHED Eurocrat Jean-Claude Juncker will today claim Brexit has threatened the very survival of the EU.
In his big annual State of the Union speech, the EU president will claim the Union faces an "existential threat" of break-up due to disunity across the Continent.
But Mr Juncker risks sparking a furious backlash by claiming the murder of a Polish man in Harlow, Essex last month shows what happens when Europe does not unite.
The key note address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg will be the Commission boss's biggest intervention since Britain’s historic decision to quit the EU.
Mr Juncker is expected to call for further pan-European co-operation in the field of security and defence and the creation of an EU army.
The speech delivered in Strasbourg comes ahead of EU leaders gathering in Bratislava for crunch talks about the future of the Union.
Britain will not be represented at the meeting of European chiefs for the first time in 43 years.
Last night German Chancellor Angela Merkel called Theresa May to claim no Brexit decisions will be made with Britain locked out of the room.
A No10 spokesman said: "The Chancellor said that the meeting would be an informal discussion on the future of the EU, and would not be about the UK’s future relationship with the EU.
"No decisions would be taken, and there would be no formal conclusions coming out of the meeting."