‘It’s only words’ Lithuania’s President attacks May as Brexit talks not 'near the table'
THE President of Lithuania has attacked both Theresa May and the EU over stalled Brexit negotiations.
Dalia Grybauskaitė: It's time to go to the table and negotiate
Speaking at the EU summit in Brussels this morning Dalia Grybuskaitė said leaders should focus their efforts on getting round the negotiating table rather than engaging in media grandstanding.
Asked what May needed to do to move talks forward, she said: “From words to real deeds - not only the UK but us also.
“It’s time to go for real negotiations, not just negotiating in the media by rhetoric.”
Ms Grybuskaitė added: “Usually the first stage of negotiations starts in the media, we try to position ourselves, make nice rhetoric and centre ourselves on internal politics, either in Britain or in Europe. I think it’s time now to go straight to the table and negotiate.”
She said that while Theresa May had impressed some EU leaders with her speech last night, in which she candidly laid out her position on Brexit and described a “clear and urgent imperative” to move talks on, this was not enough.
Asked if she had been impressed by the speech, Ms Grybuskaitė said: “In terms of rhetoric abilities, maybe. But we will also need to see negotiating abilities.”
The EU summit has signalled positive things for Brexit, with Angela Merkel suggesting there could be a major breakthrough in talks by December.
She said there were “encouraging” signs of progress in negotiations.
Malta PM hails May for 'best Brexit speech yet' at EU summit
Earlier in the day she said: “I have absolutely no doubts that if we are all focused - and the speech in Florence was a contribution - that we can get a good result.
“From my side there are no indications at all that we won't succeed.”
Ms Grybuskaitė echoed these sentiments, telling press this morning: “It was not expected to have a success [in Brexit negotiations] in this European Council, we hope [Theresa May] will be able to make a success in December.”
However other leaders have poured cold water on suggestions of a breakthrough, saying the matter of money must be settled first.
Dutch PM Mark Rutte said Britain should suggest its own figure for a Brexit divorce bill so talks don’t “keep going round in circles”.
He told reporters at the summit: “I suspect that if they want progress, the British government will have to tell us at the very least — if they don’t give us a number [for the Brexit bill] — how they think they will be able to get to a number, together with Europe. Otherwise we’ll keep going round in circles.”