LONDON, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, held talks with British Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday, and emerged from 10 Downing Street describing Brexit as damage limitation.
Tusk described May's keynote speech in Florence last Friday as realistic, saying it showed Britain's philosophy of "having a cake and eating it" is finally coming to an end. But he added that there has not yet been sufficient progress in negotiations to pave the way for Britain's departure from the European Union.
"I feel cautiously optimistic about the constructive and more realistic tone in the prime minister's speech in Florence, and of our discussion today," said Tusk.
He added: "Of course no-one will ever tell me that Brexit is a good thing because as I have always said, in fact, Brexit is only about damage control. I feel now we will discuss our future relations with the UK once there is so-called sufficient progress."
Tusk said the two sides are working and "we will work hard at it".
"But if you ask me I would say there is not sufficient progress yet. But we will work on it. We will discuss our future relations with the UK once there is so-called sufficient progress."
May said later she and Tusk had agreed things have moved on in the process.
May said: "I set out in my speech last week in Florence the hope for working together to that deep and special partnership I think we want to create with the European Union once we leave the European Union. And the commitment we have to looking for a really good economic partnership.
"By being creative in the ways that we approach these issues, we can find solutions that work both for the remaining 27 (member states of the EU) but also for the UK and maintain that cooperation and partnership between the UK and the EU."
