Mixed optimism feelings ahead of Brexit Summit starting today

Ahead of a Brexit summit on Wednesday, the EU has urged the UK to make “concrete proposals” to break a stalemate in negotiations. German Chancellor Angela Merkel compared any solution to “squaring a circle.”

With time running out to reach a Brexit deal, EU Council President Donald Tusk (right) has called on British Prime Minister Theresa May to forward new ideas to solve the Northern Irish border that has deadlocked negotiations.

“Tomorrow I am going to ask Prime Minister May if she has concrete proposals on how to break the impasse,” Tusk said late on Tuesday. “Only such proposals can determine if a breakthrough is possible.”

May is set to discuss the talks with other EU heads of state in Brussels for a major Brexit summit on Wednesday.

France is making urgent preparations for Britain crashing out of the EU without a deal, including imposing checks at the Channel Tunnel, a senior minister warned Tuesday.

Nathalie Loiseau, France‘s Europe minister, insisted Paris was “determined to have a good deal” with Britain on its departure from the EU but said “no deal” preparations were under way.

Brexit talks are on a knife-edge, with British Prime Minister Theresa May set to make a pitch to EU leaders in Brussels on Wednesday at a summit billed as the last chance to agree a draft deal in time for Brexit day on March 29.

European ministers have been keen to stress their desire to reach an accord with London but EU President Donald Tusk said in a letter inviting leaders to the summit that the “no deal” scenario was “more likely than ever before”.