François Hollande fails to corral European leaders French president François Hollande - like his US counterpart Barack Obama - has been deeply frustrated at his inability to win strong support for military action from allies at the G20 summit. Mr Hollande was furious that Herman Van Rompuy, EU president, had announced at the start of the summit on Thursday there was "no military solution to the Syria conflict" - a view the French president was determined to counteract. But his attempt to convene a "mini summit" of European leaders to present a common front in St Petersburg was a conspicuous failure. Although David Cameron, British prime minister, supports Mr Hollande's tough response, his defeat in the House of Commons last week on UK military action has limited his diplomatic influence. Meanwhile Angela Merkel, German chancellor, like Mr Van Rompuy is taking a more cautious tone, advocating a "political solution in the context of the United Nations." Mr Cameron said on Friday that Italy's Enrico Letta had also condemned the chemical attacks in eastern Damascus but - like Ms Merkel - he wanted to see any solution channelled through the UN. Mr Hollande's attempt to corral European support amounted to little more than a chat in the car on the way to the summit dinner on Thursday night and an intense conversation with Mr Cameron and Ms Merkel on the way into the Peterhof palace. Some in the French media described the attempt at European unity as "the walking summit." Meanwhile, Mr Cameron has also rebutted Mr Van Rompuy's comments, pointing out that EU foreign ministers had not yet agreed a common European line on the conflict.