Key EU summit on Brexit begins in Brussels

By Serife Cetin

BRUSSELS

A two-day summit on Brexit between the U.K. and 27 EU leaders began on Thursday in Brussels.

Speaking to media ahead of the summit, the leaders pointed out that it was not possible to change the last month’s Brexit deal reached between the U.K. and the EU.

British Prime Minister Theresa May thanked her colleagues for the confidence vote and said it was time to focus on the approval of the Brexit deal.

In late November, the 27 members of the EU approved the withdrawal agreement and political declaration on the future EU-U.K. relations.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the deal agreed by 27 EU countries could not be changed.

She said the summit was also going to address the escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine, as well as budget issues.

French President Emmanuel Macron also said a political discussion would be made on the deal, and added: “We can’t open a legally-binding deal for renegotiation.”

The Netherlands’ Prime Minister Mark Rutte stated that they were ready to offer necessary support to May, but the existing deal was the only deal that could be reached as the country took to leave the bloc.

The EU's long-term budget, single market, migration and external relations will also be the focus of the two-day summit, according to the European Council’s official website.