Brexit: Barnier interviewed on French TV in wake of deal

''There is no winner in Brexit,'' the European Union's chief Brexit negotiator said on Thursday evening after the UK and the EU struck a free-trade agreement that should bring a measure of certainty for businesses after years of turmoil.

Speaking to French broadcaster France 2, Michel Barnier said the UK has chosen ''to be solitary,'' especially in relation with super-powers as the US and China.

''And in today's world, if you look at it with your eyes open, if we are not together facing the Americans and the Chinese, we are in big trouble,'' he said.

The breakthrough on Thursday came after months of tense and often testy negotiations that whittled differences down to three key issues: fair-competition rules, mechanisms for resolving future disputes and fishing rights.

Now comes the race to approve and ratify the deal before the UK leaves the EU's economic structures on January 1.

The British and European parliaments both must hold votes to ratify the agreement.