German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday lauded the progress made in EU defence cooperation on the first day of a European Council summit.

Speaking at a news conference after the first round of meetings, the German leader said new European defence structures were not intended to rival or undermine NATO.

She added that she and French President Emmanuel Macron both agreed that the timetable for projects should be “ambitious”.

Merkel, who noted that wanted the most wide-ranging guarantees possible for EU citizens resident in Britain after it leaves for the EU, said negotiations would be led by the EU’s Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier.

Arriving at the summit, British Prime Minister Theresa May said she intended to protect the rights of EU nationals resident in Britain.