French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that the door to the European Union remains open to the United Kingdom until exit negotiations are concluded.
Asked at a joint news conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May in Paris whether he agreed with German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, who earlier told Bloomberg that Britain would find “open doors” if it changed its mind, Macron replied: “The door, of course, is still open as long as Brexit negotiations have not been concluded, but a sovereign decision to leave the EU has been taken and I respect that decision.”
May said the timetable for Brexit negotiations remained on course with talks due to start next week.
The two leaders met for a working dinner before together attending a France vs England friendly football match at the Stade de France stadium in Paris.
Macron’s comments that it was not too late for Britain to remain inside the EU came as May faces a tug-of-war within her own party over her Brexit strategy, following a disastrous snap election which she called.
Reuters
