UK Prime Minister Theresa May met with the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in Downing Street on Wednesday ahead of a summit in Brussels on Saturday with leaders of the other 27 EU countries.
According to Reuters, an EU Commission spokesperson said that the three talked about the process of Britain’s withdrawal from the bloc.
Downing Street said that May reiterated Britain’s goal of building a “deep and special partnership” after Brexit.
After meeting the prime minister in No.10, Michel Barnier met with David Davis, UK Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union. The two said their meeting was “constructive” but did not go into detail about what was discussed.
Britain is set to leave the EU in March 2019, but official talks aren’t going to begin until after the snap general election on 8 June. Barnier has said that negotiations must be complete within a year for any settlements to be approved by the UK, European Parliament, and other EU members.
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said the government had a “clear plan” for Brexit.
Johnson was quoted by the BBC as telling foreign diplomats on Wednesday: “Though I have no doubt that the negotiations will be tough and some plaster may fall off the ceiling, I am also sure that Theresa May can pull it off, and usher in a new era of free trade deals.”
