German minister: Coronavirus crisis won’t make Brexit easier

BERLIN (Reuters) – German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the coronavirus crisis would not make Brexit negotiations easier, adding that Berlin would use its EU presidency in the second half of the year to ensure there is a “good result” for both the EU and Britain.

“Whether I think the extension of Brexit negotiations and the deadlines there are until the end of the year is good or not is irrelevant – the British government rejects that and made that clear again last week. It certainly won’t be easier given the coronavirus crisis,” he told a news conference on Friday.

(Reporting by Michelle Martin; Editing by Paul Carrel)