Ireland PM Varadkar calls upon EU to brace for long delay, if UK takes new Brexit route

European Union leaders must be open to a long extension if Britain decides to fundamentally reconsider its Brexit approach, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said on Friday, adding that such a request would result in a generous response.

But Varadkar also warned of the growing risk of a disruptive no-deal Brexit, after British lawmakers rejected for a third time the Withdrawal Agreement negotiated by Prime Minister Theresa May and the EU.

"Ireland has been preparing intensively for a No Deal scenario. But no one should under estimate the difficulties that a No Deal will present, for all of us, including the UK. It is not clear that the UK has fully understood that No Deal is not off the agenda. Rather, it's a growing possibility," Varadkar said.