"Stupid Black Peter game": The EU pushes Boris Johnson to the buck

United Kingdom and Gibraltar European Union membership referendum

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EU Council President Donald Tusk has accused British Prime Minister Boris Johnson of playing with Europe's future as well as with his own country.

It is also about "the safety and the interests of our citizens" - not to win a "stupid Black Peter game," said Tusk on Twitter. "You do not want a deal, you do not want an extension, you do not want to withdraw," Tusk wrote to Johnson. "Quo vadis?"

@ BorisJohnson, what's at stake is not winning some stupid blame game. At stake is the future of Europe and the UK as well as the security and interests of our people. You do not want a deal, you do not want extension, you do not want to revoke, quo vadis?

Shortly before, the British government had indicated that London no longer believed in an agreement with the EU. This is clear from a message that the British broadcaster Sky News has received from government circles - and whose authenticity was confirmed by the news agency dpa from the seat of government Downing Street.

"In principle impossible, not only now, but always"

The communication refers to a telephone conversation between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the morning. The communication states that the EU has taken a new position. Merkel had reportedly demanded compromise from Johnson on the issue of the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. The Chancellor made it clear that otherwise a Brexit agreement would be "extremely unlikely".

The British note reads: "If this is a new, established position, it means that an agreement is in principle impossible, not just now, but always."

Johnson had made new proposals for a revised exit agreement last week, but they are finding resistance in the EU. The question is how the border between EU Member Ireland and Northern Ireland can remain open even after Brexit. In the Brexit treaty negotiated in 2018, there is the transitional solution with a stay in the European customs union, the so-called backstop. This rejects Johnson but off. His alternative proposals are still under negotiation in Brussels.

The spokesman for the Federal Government, Steffen Seibert, merely confirmed that the phone call between Merkel and Johnson had taken place. He did not comment on the content. "As usual, we do not report such confidential discussions," he told the dpa on request.