EU's Tusk: Brexit deal may be possible but no guarantee of success as time is 'practically up'

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Council President Donald Tusk said on Friday the latest round of Brexit talks carried no guarantee of success and time was “practically up” - but that even the slightest chance must be used to try to get a deal before Oct. 31.

“I have received promising signals from the Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) that a deal is still possible. Technical talks are taking place in Brussels as we speak,” Tusk said in Nicosia.

“Of course, there is no guarantee of success and the time is practically up. But even the slightest chance must be used.”

Tusk said he had previously told British Prime Minister Boris Johnson that unless a workable solution came from London by Friday Oct. 11, he would announce on Friday that a deal was all but impossible at the Oct. 17-18 summit of all EU leaders.

But he said he had received a positive message from Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar that a deal was “still possible” after Varadkar met Johnson on Thursday.