Boris set to meet Ursula von der Leyen for last-minute Brexit talks

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Failure to finalize a free trade agreement by 11pm on 31 December would mean a no-deal Brexit at the end of 2020. /AFP

The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is scheduled to meet European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen over dinner in Brussels on Wednesday to discuss whether there is a way forward on a post-Brexit deal.

Negotiations have been intensifying, with just 24 days left to salvage a deal before the Brexit deadline on December 31.

The meeting follows another by the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier and his UK counterpart David Frost in Brussels on Monday in an attempt to find a resolution.

Boris and von der Leyen spoke by phone on Monday evening, but afterwards issued a joint statement saying: "We agreed that the conditions for finalizing an agreement are not there due to the remaining significant differences on three critical issues: level playing field, governance and fisheries."

"We asked our chief negotiators to prepare an overview of the remaining differences to be discussed in person in the coming days."

Ahead of her meeting with Boris, the European Commission president said: "I look forward to welcoming UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tomorrow evening. We will continue our discussion on the Partnership Agreement."

Failure to finalize a free trade agreement by 11pm on 31 December would mean a no-deal Brexit at the end of 2020.

Experts have warned that a no-deal scenario would cause huge long-term disruption to the British economy.

(With input from agencies)