European Council President Donald Tusk has said he has "no grounds for optimism", as EU leaders prepare to gather for one of the last chances to approve a Brexit deal.
His remarks come a day before a major summit of EU leaders, attended by the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, and where British Prime Minister Theresa May will gave an update on the negotiations.
Mr Tusk said on Tuesday: "Unfortunately, the report on the state of the negotiations that I got from Michel Barnier today, as well as yesterday's debate in the House of Commons, give me no grounds for optimism before tomorrow's European Council on Brexit.
"And as I see it, the only source of hope for a deal, for now, is the goodwill and determination on both sides."
Mr Tusk added: "Tomorrow, I am going to ask Prime Minister Theresa May whether she has concrete proposals on how to break the impasse.
"Only such proposals can determine if a breakthrough is possible."
The European Council president added that leaders will discuss "how to step up our preparations for a no-deal scenario" on Wednesday.
He added: "The fact that we are preparing for a no-deal scenario must not, under any circumstances, lead us away from making every effort to reach the best agreement possible, for all sides."
EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, Minister Helen McEntee and Tánaiste Simon Coveney in Luxembourg | Image via @HMcEntee on Twitter
While the Tánaiste Simon Coveney said European Union solidarity with Ireland on the need for a Brexit backstop is "as strong as ever".
He was speaking following a meeting with the EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, along with Minister for European Affairs Helen McEntee, in Luxembourg.
Mr Coveney said the backstop must apply "unless and until" another solution is found, as agreed by all sides in March.
Tweeting, Mr Coveney said it was a "good meeting".
Good meeting with ?@MichelBarnier +? ?@HMcEntee? in Lux. Solidarity with IRE as strong as ever on need to agree a legally operable backstop as part of WA. That backstop must apply “unless and until” another solution is found, as agreed by all sides in March. pic.twitter.com/UcurzUjKat
— Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) October 16, 2018
Germany's Europe minister Michael Roth has told Mrs May to "take responsibility" for the impasse in the negotiations.
He said his country was braced for "the worst" and that "we would not be preparing so hard for 'no-deal' if the outlook was more optimistic".
He said the EU had "gone a long way" towards the UK's position and been left with "limited room to manoeuvre" on the backstop plan to prevent a hard border between the Ireland and Northern Ireland.
France also warned "time is running out" and that a deal would "probably not" be reached on Tuesday night.
Wednesday's summit is the second last chance for them to sign off a breakthrough Brexit deal before the end of 2018.
The next scheduled meeting this year is mid-December.
There is a chance of a special summit being arranged for November, but a senior EU official said that was "not a given".
UK Prime Minister Theresa May attends a roundtable meeting with business leaders in London | Image: Henry Nicholls/PA Wire/PA Images
It comes as Theresa May issued a dramatic unity plea to her ministers, calling on them to "stand together" for the sake of a Brexit deal.
She said she was "convinced" that if her cabinet retains a "firm" unitary position that Britain would get a breakthrough in negotiations.
Her pitch came after a marathon meeting, kicking off a crucial 48 hours in Brexit talks.
The three-hour session saw discussions on the Irish border backstop.
She repeated it would be "unacceptable" for Northern Ireland to remain in the EU's customs union, while Great Britain leaves it, to prevent a hard border.
And she said the insurance policy if talks collapse could not be "indefinite".
In a public statement afterwards, Mrs May added: "I am convinced that if we as a government stand together and stand firm we can achieve this."
Additional reporting: Jack Quann
