The European Union struggled yesterday to put up a show of unity over Kosovo, as a majority of member states prepared to recognise the breakaway province's declaration of independence but Spain and Romania condemned its action as illegal.

"It's the end of the Balkan troubles. I hope it's over. Now we need reconciliation," Bernard Kouchner, France's foreign minister, said as he announced the decision by Nicolas Sarkozy, the president, to recognise Kosovo's secession from -Serbia.