Negotiations between Britain and the European Union are set to continue next week even after Boris Johnson said he believes a trade deal is now unlikely. The prime minister insisted the U.K. is ready to leave the bloc’s single market and customs union at the end of the year without a new agreement in place. He has essentially kept the door open for more talks, while insisting it is up to the EU to make a first concession.
Key Developments:
- Chief negotiators David Frost and Michel Barnier held talks on Friday
- EU’s von der Leyen says team will go to London next week to intensify talks
Frost and Barnier Spoke (5:40 p.m)
The sense from the U.K. side, after the two key negotiators spoke, is that negotiations are not formally back on but both sides are still talking. That would indicate that things are tense, but confirm that we are not in a walk-out scenario just yet.