MOSCOW (Sputnik) — UK Prime Minister Theresa May assured German Chancellor Angela Merkel of plans to start Brexit negotiations in the next few weeks and to strive for agreement on EU citizens’ rights in the United Kingdom as well as UK citizens’ rights in the European Union at an early stage of the talks.
"The German Chancellor Angela Merkel called the Prime Minister earlier today to offer her congratulations. The Prime Minister confirmed her intention for Brexit talks to begin as planned in the next couple of weeks, and that we would be looking for a reciprocal agreement on the rights of EU citizens and British citizens abroad at an early stage," May’s spokesperson said.
May called a general election in April to increase the Conservative majority in parliament in order to strengthen her hand in Brexit talks. The election led to a hung parliament after the Tories won 318 seats, down from 330 they got in 2015.
The Brexit negotiations are set to start on June 19.
