B. Johnson: A very, very difficult agreement with the EU

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, on Tuesday described it as very, very difficult to reach a trade agreement with Brussels on Brexit, while on the European side, the chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, asked for patience.

“We have to be optimistic, but I have to say that at the moment it seems very, very difficult,” said the British prime minister.

“We will do the best we can, but what I want to say to everyone is not to be upset, there are great choices for our country in every way. “The important thing is that from January 1, whatever happens, there will be a change and people need to prepare for that change,” Johnson said, without elaborating on what the change would be or how it would be prepared within three weeks the world.

According to the Guardian newspaper, the crucial meeting that Mr. Johnson agreed to have with the President of the European Commission Ursua von der Leyen will take place on Wednesday or Thursday, in view of the Summit that starts on Thursday.

German Undersecretary of State for European Affairs Michael Roth said the outcome of the summit would depend on the political will of the British government to close the deal.

For his part, Mr Barnier said he had spoken to the head of the British negotiating team, David Frost, to prepare for the next steps, saying: “We need a school, or rather a university of patience.”

Source: The Guardian, Reuters