Brexit

Matteo Renzi warned that leaving the EU would be a "very difficult process" - but the problems could be solved only after the UK began the exit procedure.

He said the Brexit vote had been "a bad decision" but had to be respected.

Mr Renzi said he was ready to work with UK PM Theresa May to build the "best alliance" between the UK and the EU.

Mr Renzi said he had been shocked and saddened by the EU referendum result, but repeated Mrs May's vow that "Brexit is Brexit", saying democracy had to be respected.

Matt Brittin, the head of Google's Europe, Middle East and Africa business, said the conditions for success in the UK were now better than in 2010, when David Cameron said the founders of the tech giant believed they could never have built their company in Britain.

"I think it is getting better all the time, the conditions for big tech success here in the UK," Mr Brittin told me.

In an interview with the Reuters news agency, Mr Fico said Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia would be uncompromising in negotiations.

His comments come a day after the EU's first major meeting without the UK.

Brexit, though not formally discussed, overshadowed the Bratislava summit.

European Council President Donald Tusk said Mrs May had told him the UK could be ready to begin talks by February.

The BBC's Tom Bateman says this is the clearest sign yet of when the two-year withdrawal process may start.

Mrs May's office said it would not be launched this year, but did not confirm Mr Tusk's account.

Formal negotiations over the withdrawal cannot begin until the UK triggers Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, the formal mechanism for leaving the union.

Many Japanese corporations have invested heavily in the U.K., including global banking giantNomura (NMR) and top automakers Toyota (TM), Nissan (NSANF) and Honda (

Speaking to the Andrew Marr Show - in her first major interview since taking office - Mrs May warned Brexit would not be "plain sailing" for the UK.

She said formal EU talks will not begin until 2017, but vowed the process would not be "kicked into the long grass".

Mrs May also ruled out a snap general election, as the UK needs "stability".

The former home secretary became prime minister after David Cameron resigned in the wake of the EU referendum - with the Brexit process likely to dominate the first years of her premiership.

Sigmar Gabriel said the EU would go "down the drain" if other states followed Britain's lead and that the UK could not keep the "nice things" about Europe while taking no responsibility.

It comes as Theresa May summoned ministers for a meeting on Wednesday to discuss ideas for the UK's withdrawal.

Downing Street said Brexit was "top" of the prime minister's agenda.

In a move which could cost up to £6bn a year, the Treasury will guarantee to back EU-funded projects signed before this year's Autumn Statement.

Agricultural funding now provided by the EU will also continue until 2020.

But critics said the guarantee does not go far enough and there was "continued uncertainty".

In a joint statement after a two-day meeting, envoys of the Group of 20 also rejected trade protectionism, an issue that has risen in prominence as U.S. Republication presidential candidate Donald Trump has talked about restricting access to American markets.

The United States, China, Britain, Germany and other governments at the meeting in Chengdu in western China pledged to use spending, monetary policy and regulatory reforms to strengthen growth. They promised to strengthen communication and cooperation but announced no joint action, as some financial traders had hoped.

The then-prime minister called the German leader days before the EU referendum, as opinion polls seemed to show voters moving to the Leave camp.

But he later abandoned the idea of getting her and other EU leaders to make a statement granting concessions.

No 10 decided it could be portrayed by Vote Leave as a sign of weakness.

Newsnight has learned that Mr Cameron telephoned the German chancellor to ask whether she would be willing to issue a statement with fellow EU leaders granting the UK concessions on free movement.