EU’s Tusk tells UK’s May: Start Brexit talks soon

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May, left, welcomes President of the European Council Donald Tusk to 10 Downing Street in London, Thursday, Sept. 8, 2016. They met for a bilateral meeting to discuss Britain's Exit of the European Union. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May, left, welcomes President of the European Council Donald Tusk to 10 Downing Street in London, Thursday, Sept. 8, 2016. They met for a bilateral meeting to discuss Britain's Exit of the European Union. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

By Associated Press September 8, 2016 3 min read

LONDON (AP) – A European Union leader urged Britain on Thursday to hurry up and get on with finalizing its divorce from the bloc.

Donald Tusk, president of the EU’s governing European Council, met with Prime Minister Theresa May in London for talks about the fallout from Britain’s June 23 vote to leave the EU.

Before the meeting, Tusk told May that “the ball is now in your court” to start negotiations. He said the process should begin as soon as possible.

“I have no doubt that at the end of the day our common strategic goal is to establish the closest possible relations,” he said.

May’s spokeswoman, Helen Bower, denied that Tusk’s comments were an attempt to put pressure on Britain. She said “there wasn’t a sense in the meeting that we are under pressure on this.”