No breakthrough in Brexit talks but optimistic of sealing deal: Merkel

Johnson will speak to the head of the EU's executive, Ursula von der Leyen, on Saturday to agree next steps after the bloc launched a legal case against Britain

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she had no breakthrough to announce in EU talks with Britain but remained optimistic on Friday that sealing a deal on a new trade relationship after Brexit was still possible before the end of the year.

With just two weeks before what both British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the EU have set as a deadline for reaching a trade agreement, there are still major hurdles to ensuring smooth ties after a standstill post-Brexit transition ends.

“I can’t announce a breakthrough,” Merkel told a news conference after two days of talks among the 27 national