Brussels, Belgium—European leaders gathered in Brussels on Wednesday to decide how long a Brexit delay to grant British Prime Minister Theresa May—and under what conditions.
Without a postponement, Britain is due to crash out of the European Union at midnight on Friday under a “no-deal” Brexit that could trigger economic chaos.
May has embarked on a last-ditch battle to postpone Brexit from April 12 to June 30 to arrange an orderly departure—but European leaders are expected to offer her a longer delay of up to a year.
“There are times when you need to give time,” EU Council President Donald Tusk tweeted, as he issued summit invitations.
Summit host Tusk said the evidence of recent months gave EU leaders “little reason to believe” that British lawmakers will ratify the Brexit withdrawal treaty before May’s preferred June 30 departure.
“In reality, granting such an extension would increase the risk of a rolling series of short extensions and emergency summits, creating new cliff-edge dates,” he said, reflecting concern in EU capitals.