Rishi Sunak will fly to the continent tomorrow as he tries to sort out the mess of the Brexit deal.
The PM will meet EU chief Ursula Von Der Leyen and other European leaders at the Munich Security Conference.
It is hoped a tweaked trade agreement will be announced next week following months of rows about the arrangements for Northern Ireland.
Mr Sunak today held talks with politicians in Belfast, including DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson.
After their meeting, Sir Jeffrey said he was “hopeful” an agreement can be reached.
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PA)
“I think it is safe to say that progress has been made across a range of areas, but there are still some areas where further work is required,” he told reporters.
But he warned Mr Sunak not to rush into signing an agreement, saying: “It is fundamentally important that he agrees the right deal.
“I do not believe that anyone should be led by a calendar.”
Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald said it was “very much game on”.
Labour’s Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Kyle said: “We hear for the umpteenth time a Northern Ireland protocol deal is near.
“To reiterate: if a deal can be done, Rishi Sunak should do it. Labour with Keir Starmer’s firm leadership stands ready to ensure parliamentary approval. Northern Ireland can no longer be held back by the Tory Brexit purity cult.”
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