Juncker hopes UK will eventually ‘re-enter the boat’ after Brexit

European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker hopes Brexit isn’t for life.

After a morning discussing the future of the Europe with the heads of state from the EU’s 27 member governments and newly re-elected council president Donald Tusk, President Juncker expressed hope the UK would one day come back into the fold.

“I don’t like Brexit, because I would like to be in the same boat as the British. The day will come when the British will re-enter the boat, I hope,” he said.

Mr Tusk reconfirmed that Brussels will be ready with a response to Article 50 notification by Britain within 48 hours, adding “it is a proper time to react”.

British prime minister, who attended a meeting of EU leaders yesterday, intends to trigger the Treaty of Lisbon’s official exit clause by the end of this month, starting the clock on a two-year exit process.

Image via Reuters