MNI POLICY: No Leader Meetings Planned For Johnson In Brussels

UK PM Boris Johnson's trip is unlikely to meet EU national leaders on his trip to Brussels for trade talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, two EU diplomatic sources told MNI, with one saying London was looking for ways to show it had tried everything before negotiations collapse.

"No sign of extra summit meeting. Also not requested," the official said, noting that the European Commission negotiates trade deals and leaders only sign them off.

The trip by Johnson is designed to allow him to say everything had been tried and to point the finger of blame at the EU, the source said.

An EU leaders' summit late this week is not even likely to consider Brexit, an EU diplomat said, with attentions focussed on the budget impasse with Poland and Hungary and tensions with Turkey in the eastern Mediterranean.