President George W. Bush on Tuesday night completed a two-day charm offensive in Brussels but failed to narrow the divide with European Union leaders over arms sales to China, tactics towards Iran or the future of Nato.

The US president's visit ended with mutual back-slapping with José Manuel Barroso, European Commission president, pronouncing the end of almost three years of transatlantic discord over Iraq. “Europe and America have reconnected,” Mr Barroso said.