BRUSSELS (TIP): European Council President Donald Tusk made a personal appeal June 1 to US President Donald Trump not to pull Washington out of the Paris climate agreement.

Tusk warned Trump on Twitter against such a move as he prepared to host an EU–China summit Friday designed to fill the void on climate if the US withdraws from the landmark 2015 pact.

“@realDonaldTrump please don’t change the (political) climate for the worse,” Tusk said after Trump tweeted he would make his final decision at 1900 GMT.

Tusk will join Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the executive European Commission, in meeting Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang at the summit on Friday. Li pledged to “steadfastly” implement the Paris pact as he held talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel before travelling later Thursday to Brussels for informal talks.

The European Union and Chinese leaders will throw their full weight behind implementing all aspects of the Paris agreement, regardless of US participation, according to a draft statement expected to be published June 2. (PTI)