German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said as she arrived at a summit of European Union leaders that shaping the future of the EU should take priority over Brexit negotiations.
Merkel said in Brussels on Thursday that the Brexit talks will be conducted quickly and "we will do everything to continue succeeding, as we have so far, in keeping the 27 member states together."
She added: "We want to conduct these negotiations in such a way that they take place in a good spirit, and we know that we want to continue working afterward with Britain."
But Merkel said that "for me, shaping the future of the 27 member states has priority over the question of the negotiations with Britain on its exit."
Brexit negotiations started Monday.
