Irish Prime Minister Leo Varkar said that big gaps remain between Britain and European Union as y try to secure a Brexit deal by next week. Varkar said Ireland can’t accept a deal at any cost as Britain seeks to renegotiate plans intended to ensure re is hard border between Republic of Ireland and U.K.’s rrn Ireland. Both sides are seeking to reach an agreement before an EU summit next week.

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Difficult to secure agreement by next week: Varkar

“I think it’s going to be very difficult to secure an agreement by next week, quite frankly,” Varkar told Irish brocaster RTE late Tuesday after a 40-minute phone call with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. 

“Essentially what United Kingdom has done is repudiate deal that we negotiated in good faith with Prime Minister (resa) May’s government over two years and have sort of put half of that w back on table and are saying, ‘That’s a concession’. And, of course, it isn’t really.”

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UK still hopes to strike a deal

comments contricted Johnson’s office, which said Tuesday that EU intransigence h led to a breakdown in negotiations. U.K. said, however, that it still hopes to strike a deal. Johnson and Varkar are expected to meet in person later this week.

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Johnson says Britain will leave without a negotiated settlement if a deal can’t be reached by Brexit deline of Oct. 31. Times of London reported Wednesday that five Cabinet ministers are threatening to resign if Conservative government opts a -deal Brexit as its central policy.

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