European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will meet with British prime minister Rishi Sunak in London on Monday to try to conclude a new trade deal for Northern Ireland. Both sides announced this in a joint statement on Sunday.
The Guardian had already revealed on Friday that Sunak and the president of the European Commission had consulted three times and that an agreement was close. Von der Leyen wrote on Twitter that the two leaders would like to deal with the latest negotiations in person and that she is therefore travelling to the United Kingdom.
The deal would end months of negotiations over Northern Ireland’s status. Since Brexit, many Northern Irish people have been dissatisfied with the trade protocol drawn up for their country and the United Kingdom to keep the border with Ireland open.
In particular, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) was a hindrance and is still blocking the formation of a new Northern Irish government. It is also questionable whether the outspoken Brexit fans within Rishi Sunak’s Conservative party will accept the practical solutions of London and Brussels.
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