
BritishPrime Minister BorisJohnsonhas accepted an offer tomeetIrish leader LeoVaradkarto discussBrexitand the Northern Irish backstop, the Sunday Telegraph said citing UK government sources.
"The UK has acceptedVaradkar's offer tomeetand dates are being discussed," a UK source told the newspaper.
Johnsonhas told the European Union there is no point in new talks on a withdrawal agreement unless negotiators are willing to drop the Northern Irish backstop agreed by his predecessor Theresa May.
The EU has said it is not prepared to reopen the divorce deal it agreed with May, which includes the backstop, an insurance policy to prevent the return to a hard border between the Britishprovince of Northern Ireland and EU-member Ireland.
May's agreement, rejected three times by theBritishparliament, says the United Kingdom will remain in a customs union 'unless and until' alternative arrangements are found to avoid a hard border.
Johnsonhas said Britain will leave the EU on October 31 with or without a deal.
The Telegraph said it was hoped a meetingbetween Johnson and Varadkar could take place before the G7 summit in France later in August.