UK Brexit negotiator "disappointed" with EU stance during negotiations

The U.K.'s chief Brexit negotiator David Frost on Thursday said he was "surprised" and "disappointed" by the European Union's position during negotiations in Brussels.

"Surprised EU is no longer committed to working "intensively" to reach a future partnership," Frost tweeted.

"Also surprised by suggestion that to get an agreement all future moves must come from U.K. It's an unusual approach to conducting a negotiation."Frost added that Johnson will respond on Friday with the U.K.'s reactions and approach.

The U.K., which believes it has gone as far as it can, has been pushing the EU to thrash out an agreement within the next two weeks and contends that it is up to the latter to make concessions. However, EU leaders argue that the responsibility remains with the U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has threatened to walk away from the negotiations unless he gets clarity during this week's summit that an agreement can be reached.

Earlier, the EU ramped up pressure on Johnson by after its leaders reiterated calls for Britain to "make the necessary moves to make an agreement possible."

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier told reporters that there were "prospects" of a deal but he could not say that "we'll necessarily get a deal."

Barnier added that he believed that negotiations will continue in London next week and in Brussels the week after."We shall remain available until the last possible day…the negotiations aren't over."

Those comments, however, stops short of the intensification of talks that the U.K. is demanding.

(CGTN)