European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen will propose a roughly one-trillion-euro post-virus recovery fund for Europe, but will have to win over sceptical member states.

The global coronavirus outbreak has thrust the EU into its deepest ever recession, and Von der Leyen's proposal will set out to help the worst affected countries.

The virus has killed at least 172,000 people in Europe and put its economy in a deep freeze, with businesses only slowly reopening and tight controls on borders that were once wide open for travel and trade.

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