EU ministers to avoid Brexit talks during Tuesday meeting in Brussels

European affairs ministers who will meet in Brussels on Tuesday to prepare a leaders' summit later in the week will not convene a special session on Brexit, a senior EU official said on Monday.

The ministers from all 28 member states, including Britain, will be meeting to prepare various agenda items, as well as discussing other matters.

Asked by reporters if those from the 27 remaining states might meet to discuss British Prime Minister Theresa May's move to seek further negotiations on a Brexit deal agreed last month, the official said there was no plan to schedule such a meeting.

May will join the other 27 leaders for a regular EU summit on Thursday and Friday. Her decision to postpone a parliamentary vote on her deal in the face of looming defeat has thrown the further process of Britain's EU withdrawal into doubt.