The European Union's chief negotiator for the United Kingdom's exit from the EU, Michel Barnier, congratulated Boris Johnson on his appointment as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on Tuesday 23 July.
Via Twitter, the EU negotiator said he would like to work in a "constructive" way with the former journalist and former Foreign Secretary to facilitate the ratification of the British withdrawal agreement and achieve an "orderly Brexit". Michel Barnier also re-stated that the EU was ready to "rework the agreed declaration on a new EU/UK partnership", in accordance with the "European Council guidelines".
Launching a tour of the capitals in Paris to train the future College of Commissioners, the President-elect of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, also congratulated Mr Johnson, but referred to "difficult times ahead". The German, together with Emmanuel Macron, stressed the importance of maintaining a "good working relationship" between the two blocs and building "something good", both for the citizens of the United Kingdom and for those of The Twenty-Seven.
The French President had a word for Theresa May, who had always shown "loyalty" to her partners. The two men should talk by phone soon, once Boris Johnson is officially installed in his new position.
On the Dublin side, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar also congratulated the new British leader and said he expected a swift engagement "on Brexit, Northern Ireland and bilateral relations".
Earlier in the day, the first Vice-President of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, had advised Mrs von der Leyen and The Twenty-Seven to continue to hold their position against Mr Johnson, who has threatened to leave without agreement on 31 October. "A no-deal Brexit" would be a tragedy, he commented.
Boris Johnson, who received almost twice as many votes as Jeremy Hunt in the Conservative Tory Party vote, repeated in his first official speech that he would do everything possible to make Brexit a reality by 31 October, but did not mention the possibility of a no-deal Brexit.
To all those who "doubt", the new British Prime Minister assured that Brexit will make it possible to "energise the country" and to "take advantage of all the opportunities that it will bring". Promising to wake up the "slumbering giant" of the United Kingdom, he assured listeners that he would revitalize his country through a policy promoting better education and better infrastructure, including Internet access. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)