British Prime Minister Theresa May says the U.K. and the European Union are not far apart in Brexit negotiations and a divorce deal remains achievable.
Speaking to lawmakers Monday after weekend Brexit talks failed to make a breakthrough, May said "the shape of a deal" is clear in most areas, but a gap remains on the issue of the Irish border.
Talks have stalled around how to ensure there is no hard border between the U.K.'s Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland after Brexit. Britain rejects the EU's "backstop" proposal, which would keep Northern Ireland in a customs union with the bloc.
May says that's unacceptable, but the two sides are now discussing "a U.K.-wide customs solution" where all of Britain stays in a customs partnership with the EU. The main sticking point is Britain's insistence that such a solution must be temporary.
