The European Union without optimism awaits new proposals from the UK about Brexit

The European Union is waiting for new proposals from the UK in order to get a breakthrough in negotiations on its exit from the community (Brexit), said Donald Tusk, chairman of the European Council, speaking on Tuesday at the Trilateral Summit in which the heads of the EU institutions, representatives of European trade unions and employers participate. This meeting precedes the summit of the heads of state and governments of the EU on October 17 on Brexit, Interfax reports.

Donald Tusk invited Teresa May, Prime Minister of Great Britain on Wednesday, who will speak with his vision of the Brexit negotiations in front of 27 heads of the European Union. After that, they will hold a discussion during a working dinner in which May will not participate. At this stage, the Michel Barnier summit will inform the leaders about the progress achieved since the meeting at the top in Salzburg.

Then the EU leaders will resolve the issue of further actions, possibly the convening of an additional European council in the near future.

“Unfortunately, the report I received today on the state of negotiations on Brexit Michel Barnier does not give grounds for optimism before the upcoming Brexit summit on Wednesday. The only hope for achieving the agreement is given by good will and determination of both parties,” explained Tusk at a press conference after the summit meeting. Michel Barnier is the main negotiator on the Brexit by the EU.

“Tomorrow I’m going to ask Prime Minister May if she has specific proposals on how to get out of an impasse. Only such a nature is able to determine whether a breakthrough is possible,” the head of the European Council added.

Earlier on Tuesday, Michelle Barnier told reporters that the EU and the UK needs more time to develop an agreement on the terms of Brexit.

On the eve of the British Prime Minister Teresa May said she still believes in the possibility of Brexit agreed with the EU. During the performance in the House of Commons, she said that negotiations with the EU on Brexit are at the final stage. These words provoked laughter from the part of the opposition Labor Party of Great Britain that were not consistent with this assessment.

At the September summit in Salzburg, Tusk said that the European Union expects maximum progress and results on negotiations on Brexit in October. He also promised that at the October summit, the EU countries just decide whether there are sufficient conditions "to conduct an extraordinary EU summit in November to complete and official execution of the Brexit transaction.

The Summit of 27 of the EU on October 17 will proceed from the hope that the agreement with the UK Brexit is possible, but the option without an agreement will also not be left without attention, the EU high-ranking official told reporters on Tuesday in Brussels, introducing them on the basis of the anonymity of journalists with the agenda of the EU Summit on October 17-18.

“But judging by the process that was conducted before meeting on Wednesday, we stated that it would not be easy to achieve an agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom,” the EU functionary said.

On the issue of Ireland, he explained, there is a condition: "There will be no agreement on the exit without a legally binding decision on the Irish border, this will remain unchanged."

“But we continue to hope that the decision is possible that the agreement with the United Kingdom is possible. And the main negotiators will continue their efforts on the basis of these guidelines,” this source noted.

"And this is added an additional dimension already designated in a letter from the chairman of Tusk. This is a state of preparation of the European Union in case of a possible option without an agreement. On this issue we expect a speech by the chairman of the European Commission Jean -Claude Junker," the source said.

According to the source, good news was expected from negotiations on Sunday, in particular, about progress on the Irish border. It was assumed that on Monday, an agreement will be completed to exit the UK and work on the main positions on the future relations of the parties. The basis of the declaration of future relations intended to approve on Wednesday evening. However, since there is no agreement that includes a decision on the Irish border, there will be no discussion on future relations. “This is the situation. It will not change before a meeting on Wednesday,” the EU function stated.

He also expressed confidence in the unity of 27 states of the Union on the issue of Brexit and rejected rumors about the split of the EU countries on this problem.