Brussels dramatically raised the stakes tonight over Britain's request for a Brexit delay ahead of a showdown summit tomorrow.
EU Council chief Donald Tusk said it was 'possible' Theresa May's call for a three-month extension would be approved.
But he warned it would be 'conditional' on her deal being passed by the Commons at the third try.
That appeared to significantly raise the risk of No Deal next week, although Mr Tusk suggested he would consider an emergency summit if the deal is voted down again.
However, that would probably only be to offer a much longer extension.
EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker, who was seen high-fiving Mr Tusk ahead of tomorrow's Brussels summit, said Mrs May 'must bring clear ideas' for an extension to be granted.
EU leaders were last night divided over how tough to be on Mrs May, with French president Emmanuel Macron said to be taking a hard line.
Reports suggested he could even veto Britain's request for a delay at tomorrow's summit if he fails to be convinced that Mrs May can pass her deal in the coming days.
Prime Minister Theresa May making a statement on the state of Brexit negotiations in Downing Street today
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (left) greets European Council President Donald Tusk with a high-five during a summit at the Europa building in Brussels today
Amid the turmoil today, Irish premier Leo Varadkar called for Mrs May to be cut 'some slack'.
He added: 'There is a real risk of No Deal happening by accident.'
Germany is also understood to be more sympathetic towards Mrs May while Belgium, like the French, are toeing a harder line.
It came after she published a letter to Mr Tusk today saying she will seek a Brexit extension until June 30.
The remaining EU27 leaders must agree unanimously to the request if it is to be granted.
It would not be formally given but the leaders would agree that they could approve it after a Commons vote if MPs pass the Withdrawal Agreement.
Mr Tusk said: 'I believe a short extension will be possible, but to be conditional on a positive vote on the Withdrawal Agreement in the House of Commons.'
He said the end date was still 'a question which remains open' as members are divided over whether a short extension should run until June 30 or end earlier before EU Parliament elections on May 23.
Three-way: Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko is welcomed by Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker with high and low fives at the Europa building in Brussels today
Jean-Claude Juncker, pictured today at a meeting of the college of commissioners at EU headquarters in Brussels, raised the possibility of an emergency summit next week to approve a Brexit delay, possibly giving Mrs May a chance to pass a deal early next week
An extension beyond the May elections without the UK taking part in them 'creates a series of questions of a legal and political nature,' he said.
A third Commons rejection of the Withdrawal Agreement could force the PM to return to Brussels to ask for a lengthier extension to try to avoid No Deal on March 29.
The bloc would demand far stricter conditions for such a request, which would lead to a softer Brexit or even a second referendum.
Insisting the EU had acted with 'patience and goodwill', Mr Tusk said: 'Even if the hope for a final success may seem frail, even illusory, and although the Brexit fatigue is increasingly visible and justified, we cannot give up seeking until the very last moment a positive solution.'
A senior diplomat from one EU member said their leader would need to be convinced by what the PM says tonight.
They said: 'Perhaps May will say different things tomorrow than what we read today in the letter.'
However, senior sources say that privately most member states have suggested they will almost certainly approve an extension in the event Mrs May's deal passes.
Jean-Yves Le Drian made the warning about Mrs May's chances of getting a Brexit deal in the French parliament today (pictured)
The Prime Minister, pictured in parliament today, was warned she might not get a Brexit delay from EU leaders tomorrow if she arrives in Brussels without a withdrawal agreement approved by MPs
France warned today it would block any request by Theresa May to delay Brexit unless she can give EU leaders 'guarantees' that it will lead to MPs passing a withdrawal deal.
Foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told the parliament in Paris today that Mrs May would need to make an incredibly strong case at a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday.
The intervention came hours before EU Council Donald Tusk said delay would be 'conditional' on MPs passing the deal next week.
France has consistently played hardball with Brexit under President Macron and Paris' warning today lays bare the stakes facing MPs.
Ahead of the EU summit tomorrow, Mrs May has asked for a three month delay so she can have one more push at getting her deal over the line.
Mr Le Drian told French MPs: 'A situation in which Mrs May would not be able to present to the European Council sufficient guarantees about the credibility of her strategy would lead to the extension request being dismissed and opting for a no-deal exit.'
A third meaningful vote early next week is now key to winning a Brexit delay from the EU.
Mr Juncker (right) greeting European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier today in Brussels. Both men have played a hard line on Britain's prospects of winning an extension to Article 50 from the EU
If it passes, a conditional delay agreed tomorrow will be confirmed. If the third vote fails, Britain will be just hours from a No Deal Brexit.
EU bureaucrats demanded the Prime Minister's attempt to delay Brexit until summer be scuppered, saying the UK must leave by late May or stay tied to Europe until the end of the year.
As Theresa May rose to tell MPs she has requested Brexit be postponed to June 30, the European Commission said that she should face a 'binary choice' of delaying for less than two months or for a full nine months.
The shorter extension to before May 23 - when European elections are due to be held- was revealed in a briefing note for EU leaders meeting Mrs May at Thursday's European Council meeting, seen by Reuters.
'Any extension offered to the United Kingdom should either last until 23 May 2019 or should be significantly longer and require European elections,' the document said.
'This is the only way of protecting the functioning of the EU institutions and their ability to take decisions.'
Mrs May moments earlier had confirmed she had written to European Council president Donald Tusk requesting a delay until June 30.
A senior official in President Emmanuel Macron's office said on Wednesday that France took note of Mrs May's decision to send the Brexit divorce deal to a third vote in Parliament.
'If the deal is rejected, it would pave the way for the undesirable outcome of a no-deal,' the official said.
Speaker John Bercow's bombshell intervention on Monday puts a barricade in Theresa May's path to holding a third meaningful vote on her Brexit deal next week
'A technical extension could be envisaged to complete legislative work in case of a deal. That's what Mrs May is asking for and will be discussed tomorrow at the European Council.'
It came after the Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker this morning warned that a decision on an extension to Article 50 might not even happen this week.
He suggested that an emergency summit might be needed next week - potentially just hours before Brexit day - because EU leaders might not approve an extension without a withdrawal deal passed by MPs.
He said that Mrs May 'must bring approval of the negotiated deal and she must bring clear ideas on timing' to the European Council in Brussels tomorrow or face a humiliating rejection.
Mr Juncker told German broadcaster Deutschlandfunk that the remaining 27 members states' hands were tied until the political indecision in London was resolved.
'My impression is ... that this week at the European Council there will be no decision, but that we will probably have to meet again next week, because Mrs May doesn't have agreement to anything, either in her Cabinet or in Parliament,' Mr Juncker added.
'As long as we don't know what Britain could say yes to, we can't reach a decision.'
Andrea Leadsom accused Cabinet Remainers of frustrating Brexit, and hinted she could quit (pictured leaving the meeting on Tuesday)
Asked about indications from Downing Street that Mrs May will request a short extension, Mr Juncker told DRF: 'Those months would have to produce, as an end result, an agreement from the British Parliament to the (Agreement) text which is before them.
'If that doesn't happen, and if Great Britain does not leave at the end of March, then we are, I am sorry to say, in the hands of God. And I think even God sometimes reaches a limit to his patience.'
A European Commission spokesman told the daily press conference in Brussels today that President Juncker had just received a phone call from Theresa May about Article 50.
He said: 'She informed him of the latest state of play around the Article 50 process and consulted the president on how best to approach the European Council. Discussions are ongoing.'
The spokesman added 'nearly all foreseen contingency measures are approved' for a no-deal scenario, with only two outstanding, which are short-term visas and the EU budget for 2019.
In the same interview Mr Juncker insisted that the deal negotiated over two years with Brussels was the remaining members states' final offer.
'Nothing more can be done, we've reached the end of the road,' he said.
'If other scenarios are being discussed, we'd need a new road.'
His interview was the latest attempt by the EU to ramp up the pressure on Mrs May ahead of Thursday's summit in Brussels.
On Tuesday he refused to answer questions over his invocation of 17th century precedent and during a stormy session of the Cabinet, the Prime Minister rounded on Mr Bercow and said he was making a laughing stock of Parliament
Mrs May abandoned her plan to ask the EU for a nine-month Brexit delay or longer after furious Brexiteer cabinet ministers threatened to quit and told her the Tory party would only accept a wait until June.
The Brexit delay has split her cabinet with outraged Remainers saying today it was Mrs May's 'most craven surrender to the hardliners yet' because it 'substantially increases the risk of No Deal'.
Brexiteer Andrea Leadsom, who yesterday blasted ministers for failing to deliver Brexit and hinted she could resign, told LBC today: 'I'm quite sure it will only be a short extension. It's absolutely essential we're out of the EU before the European elections'.
She also said John Bercow's ruling to prevent a third vote on Mrs May's deal is 'subordinate to the views of parliament' and said: 'He needs to remain impartial. I've had some questions about it'.
Britain is due to leave the EU next Friday, March 29, but after failing to get her deal through parliament last week the Prime Minister will tomorrow ask the EU to extend the deadline at a Brussels summit. If they do not, Britain leaves with No Deal.
Link hienalouca.com
https://hienalouca.com/2019/03/21/tusk-and-juncker-high-five-as-the-eu-plays-hardball-with-theresa-may-amid-request-for-a-brexit-delay/
Main photo article Brussels dramatically raised the stakes tonight over Britain’s request for a Brexit delay ahead of a showdown summit tomorrow.
EU Council chief Donald Tusk said it was ‘possible’ Theresa May’s call for a three-month extension would be approved.
But he warned it would be...
It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.
Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.
Dianne Reeves Online news HienaLouca
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