All 27 European countries meet Wednesday in a summit in Brussels as efforts to resolve the continent’s deepening debt crisis continue.

The crisis is causing concern not only in Europe, but in financial markets from the United States to China.

The leaders of France and Germany, emerging from several hours of discussions in the Belgian capital on Sunday, expressed renewed confidence that a solution to the crisis will be reached on Wednesday. But on Sunday there were little outward signs of progress. News reports say much of the discussion time was spent on procedural matters.

Attention is focused not only on Greece’s massive debt problem but also on Italy’s deficit and debt.

Wednesday’s summit initially was to involve only the 17 countries that share the euro single currency. But the president of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, said the ongoing failure to resolve the crisis requires the presence of all European leaders. He also predicted an agreement will be reached.