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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Brexit: Donald Tusk 'keeping door open' for Britain to stay in EU despite talks | Brexit: Donald Tusk 'keeping door open' for Britain to stay in EU despite talks |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, has said he still holds out hope that Brexit can be reversed, despite official talks starting this week. | Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, has said he still holds out hope that Brexit can be reversed, despite official talks starting this week. |
| The senior politician said he had been asked by British friends if there was a way to stop or reverse Britain’s exit from the EU. | The senior politician said he had been asked by British friends if there was a way to stop or reverse Britain’s exit from the EU. |
| Mr Tusk said: “I told them that in fact the EU was built on dreams that seemed impossible to achieve. | Mr Tusk said: “I told them that in fact the EU was built on dreams that seemed impossible to achieve. |
| "So who knows? You may say I am a dreamer but I'm not the only one," he added, quoting John Lennon's song, Imagine. | |
| His remarks came hours before EU leaders meet in Brussels to discuss terrorism and security. | |
| But Brexit is also likely to dominate, with Theresa May set to update her European colleagues on the future for EU citizens living in the UK. | |
| The two-day summit, Ms May’s first outing with EU counterparts since her lacklustre performance at the general election, follows four days after Brexit talks officially began. | |
| EU leaders have gained renewed confidence after pro-Europe Emmanuel Macron's victory in the French poll last month. | |
| Speaking at a news conference in Brussels, Mr Tusk said the EU is "slowly turning the corner". | |
| "We are witnessing the return of the EU rather as a solution, not a problem." | |
| He continued: "The Brexit negotiations started three days ago. It is a most difficult process, for which the EU is well prepared. | |
| "You can hear different predictions coming from different people about the possible outcome of these negotiations - hard Brexit, soft Brexit or no deal. | |
| "Some of my British friends have even asked me whether Brexit could be reversed and whether I could imagine an outcome where the UK stays part of the EU. | |
| "I told them that, in fact, the European Union was built on dreams that seemed impossible to achieve. So, who knows. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one." |