The Latest: UK minister in Romania for Brexit diplomacy
The Latest on Brexit (all times local):
10:05 p.m.
British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson arrived in Romania's capital for talks on security, defense, trade and Britain's departure from the European Union.
Johnson posted a photo of himself on Twitter late Monday with Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu at the residence of the British ambassador.
He wrote: "In Bucharest tonight to assure the Romanian FM.....that Romanian-UK ties will be even stronger after we leave the EU." An estimated 500,000 Romanians currently live in Britain.
Johnson is on a two-day visit to the Czech Republic, Romania and Slovakia. The Foreign Office says Britain wants to continue cooperating closely with EU members on matters such as "security and defense policy, countering Russian influence" and trade.
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6:25 p.m.
Britain says that any commitment toward outstanding payments into the EU budget will have to be clearly linked to a future political and trade relationship once the nation has officially left the group.
U.K. chief negotiator David Davis promised that Britain "will honor commitments we have made during the period of our membership" but added it could "only be done in the context of an in accordance with a new deep and special partnership."
The EU has been insisting their needs to be "sufficient progress" on Britain's outstanding financial commitments to the EU before any new relationship can be discussed.
Estimates of the amounts Britain would still have to pay the EU have diverged wildly from some 20 billion euros to 100 billion euros.
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5:50 p.m.
The European Union's chief Brexit negotiator says that EU rules will apply without exception during any eventual transition period after Britain officially leaves the bloc in 2019.
Michel Barnier said Monday that "the totality of the EU regulations, the enforcement, the financial conditions, supervision — all that will be maintained during this period, without exception."
His remarks came after he informed EU ministers about the state of Brexit talks and minutes before he launched into a fourth round of negotiations in Brussels.
British Prime Minister Theresa May called Friday for a two-year transition period after her country leaves on March 29, 2019.
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5:35 p.m.
The Czech Republic's foreign minister has told British counterpart Boris Johnson that he welcomes that Britain is ready to honor its financial commitment to the European Union.
British Prime Minister Theresa May said Friday that her government would keep paying the EU and following its rules during a two-year transition period after Brexit in March 2019.
Czech Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek stressed the EU still needs "more precise and detailed information" from Britain, reflecting a position by Europeans who want to see how May's offers made in a speech in Florence translate into concrete proposals.
Zaoralek also says he gave Johnson a ping pong set as a present, saying that's a game he has played with the EU.
Johnson replied: "The ball is now in your (EU) court."
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10:10 a.m.
The European Union presidency says time is running out for Britain to seal an agreement on leaving the EU, with a fourth round of Brexit negotiations about to begin in Brussels.
Estonian deputy EU affairs minister Matti Maasikas, whose country holds the bloc's rotating presidency, said Monday that "we really need to move forward now. Time is of the essence."
He was speaking before hosting a meeting of European affairs and foreign ministers, to be attended by EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier.
Barnier and his team also meet their British counterparts later Monday for four days of talks.
British Prime Minister Theresa May said Friday that her government would keep paying the EU and following its rules during a two-year transition period after Brexit in March 2019.