On Thursday 9 May, British Prime Minister Theresa May reaffirmed in Brussels her intention to trigger Article 50 of the Treaty "by the end of March" in order to initiate the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union.
It is time to leave the EU, May said at a press conference at the end of the first day of the European summit. She nevertheless repeated that her country was leaving the EU but not Europe, and that the UK's objective was to remain the EU's ally and strong friend.