Brexit Negotiations Not Ready for Next Stage Yet: Donald Tusk

• 09.26.2017, 18:45
•  Europe,  World

BBC

Sufficient progress has not yet been made in Brexit talks to allow negotiations to move to the next phase of discussing the future relationship including trade, European Council President Donald Tusk said on Tuesday, Reuters reports.

After a meeting in Downing Street with British Prime Minister Theresa May, Tusk said he welcomed a new constructive and realistic tone from the government, adding that “this shows that the philosophy of having a cake and eating it is finally coming at an end - at least I hope so.”

Britain wants to move divorce talks on from settling budget commitments with the bloc and issues such as the future status of EU citizens living in the UK to discussions about future trade relations.

May, who hoped to give the negotiations a shot in the arm with a speech in Florence last week, earlier told Tusk that Britain and EU could make Brexit a success if the two sides were creative.

“By being creative in the ways we approach these issues, we can find solutions that work both for the remaining (EU) 27 but also for the UK and maintain that cooperation and partnership between the UK and the EU,” May said.