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Macron Says Brexit Delay Beyond 30 June Could Put EU at Risk - Reports

French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday at a meeting in Brussels that any Brexit delay beyond 30 June could jeopardize the EU, Reuters reported, citing a diplomatic source.
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France has pushed the hardest line on Brexit in the EU, according to Reuters.

"Macron just made a powerful statement. [He] said anything beyond June 30 would jeopardise the EU and we shouldn't go there … He is in a bit of a schizophrenic situation — [his] domestic audience demands that he is tough on Britain for historic reasons. On the other hand, France is among the most-hit in any no-deal Brexit", a diplomat told Reuters Wednesday.

READ MORE: EU Sells More to UK Than the Other Way Around — Journo on Brexit Talks

Leaders of the EU member states assembled in Brussels on Wednesday at an emergency meeting to discuss a new Brexit deadline. While London has already been granted a delay until Friday, UK Prime Minister Theresa May has requested a further delay until 30 June.

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Meanwhile, the bloc, which is expected to reject the deadline proposed by May, reportedly remains split, with some member states supporting a Brexit delay until 31 December and others suggesting a delay of Brexit until late March 2020.

The European Union has already given the United Kingdom a Brexit extension until 12 April, but the country's lawmakers have failed to agree on the withdrawal arrangements so far, meaning that London may crash out of the bloc without a deal on Friday if another delay is not granted.

READ MORE: 2.4m EU Nationals Under Threat From Vague Right to Buy Rules After Brexit – RLA

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