UK Edition
Theresa May calls for new dynamic for Brexit deal - but Angela Merkel says it's 'still not enough'
Theresa May has called for a new dynamic for Brexit deal at a dinner with European Union leaders in Brussels on Thursday.
Addressing her fellow leaders over dinner, Mrs May left no doubt that she needs their help to deliver a deal that is acceptable to British voters.
"There is increasingly a sense that we must work together to get to an outcome we can stand behind and defend to our people," she said.
Calling for "joint effort and endeavour" to inject momentum into the talks process, she told them: "The clear and urgent imperative must be that the dynamic you create enables us to move forward together."
Angela Merkel said that Mrs May’s speech in Florence was an “important” step and promised to maintain a constructive atmosphere in the negotiations but that both sides would need to work to achieve a good outcome.
“We are going to achieve a good result, there will be a good outcome,” she added.
The German Chancellor, speaking in Brussels on Thursday evening, said that there has not yet been sufficient progress to begin the next stage of Brexit talks.
She added that there had been enough positive signs to encourage her to think that it will be possible to "take the work forward and then reach the start of the second phase in December".
However Stefan Lofven, the Swedish Prime Minister, said that the UK needs to be more forthcoming on the Brexit divorce bill before talks can continue.
His position was echoed by Mark Rutte, the Dutch Prime Minister, who said that UK must be more forthcoming about which financial commitments it was prepared to meet.
He said: "We listened to a short statement by the British PM. She basically gave some more detail and background on what she said in Florence. That was helpful but there were no new proposals today."
Asked if the clarification was needed on money, Mr Rutte said: "Yes, primarily, and about citizens rights and border controls. These are still difficult issues, but particularly the question of the exit bill."
Arriving in Brussels at the start of the two-day summit, MrsMay said: "This Council is about taking stock. It is also about looking ahead to how we can tackle the challenges that we all share across Europe.
"That means of course continued co-operation, co-operation which must be at the heart of the strong future partnership that we want to build together.
"Of course we will also be looking at the concrete progress that has been made in our exit negotiations and setting out ambitious plans for the weeks ahead.
"I particularly want to see an urgency in reaching an agreement on citizens' rights."
The Prime Minister will urge EU leaders to move on with talks at dinner in Brussels. However, EU leaders believe it would take a "miracle" to break the deadlock at this European Council meeting.
Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila said: "I hope we can decide the next phase in December's meeting, but today we are not in that position."
Mr Sipila said he was "not yet" preparing for the possibility of Britain leaving the EU without a deal.