On Monday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will again clash with Brexit as he is negotiating with senior officials of the European Union, and both sides are seeking to return negotiations that are at an impasse.
In Johnson’s first direct intervention in the discussion after Britain left the bloc at the end of January, each side seeks the tacit recognition of the other that a deal on their future relationship can still be reached. Since March, both sides have struggled to make progress, since not one of them has sharply shifted from their initial positions, which makes it unclear how the deadlock will be overcome.
No breakthrough is expected from a video call between Johnson and the presidents of the European Commission, Council and Parliament. The meeting is a requirement of the Agreement on the withdrawal of funds from Brexit and will become an overview of its implementation and the course of trade negotiations. Although both sides talk about this as an opportunity to give a new impetus to the proceedings, officials say that Monday’s conversation will not become a platform for negotiations.