Merkel warns UK not to approach Brexit talks with "illusions"
German chancellor Angela Merkel has warned that British people should not harbour "illusions" about the country's fate in the aftermath of Brexit.
In a hard-line speech given to German lawmakers on Thursday, Merkel said it was not possible to discuss a future relationship between the EU and the UK until the terms of the latter’s departure have been agreed.
Theresa May's government invoked Article 50 in March, kickstarting the two-year long process of leaving the bloc. EU leaders will meet this weekend to set out their negotiating terms for the deal.
Theresa May’s government invoked Article 50 in March, kickstarting the two-year long process of leaving the bloc
"You might think that these things are self-evident, but unfortunately I have to put it in such clear terms because I have the feeling that some in Britain still have illusions about this," Merkel told the German parliament. She added that to harbour such illusions would be a "waste of time".
Merkel herself faces a testing year with upcoming national elections in Germany posing a threat to her CDU party's grip on power.
The chancellor said that there were too many significant challenges facing the international community to spend unnecessary time on Brexit talks.
"The sooner the UK government is ready for constructive solutions, the sooner we can meet its wish to talk about the future relationship. But first we need to know how the UK government envisages that relationship. It can only be done in that sequence." Merkel said.