EU wants Brexit deal but must prepared if no agreement - Merkel

The European Union wants a Brexit trade deal with the United Kingdom but must be prepared should an agreement not be reached, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday.

"An agreement is in the interests of all," Merkel said during a debate on the German presidency of the European Union at EU's the Committee of the Regions.

"The EU is united in its desire to still achieve this in such a short space of time. But we must also be prepared in the event that no agreement is reached," she added.