Brexit deal could be 'wrapped up within hours'

Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen.
(Image credit: Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

After weeks of pessimism, Brexit negotiators are suddenly feeling hopeful just a few days before the transitional period ends and the United Kingdom leaves the European Union for good.

Negotiations between Brussels and London appeared to be in the final phase Wednesday, The Associated Press and The Financial Times report. One anonymous EU source told AP, "I expect to see some white smoke tonight," while allies of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told FT a trade agreement could be "wrapped up within hours."

The two sides have primarily been stuck on issues revolving around fishing rights, but they've seemingly made progress as Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen took control of the negotiations.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Neither side is celebrating just yet, however. "We will need to get those final issues resolved, and there's some way further to go on that," said U.K. Cabinet minister Robert Jenrick, though he did admit he's optimistic. "Fingers crossed," one European diplomat told FT. Read more at The Financial Times and The Associated Press.

Explore More
Tim O'Donnell

Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.