© Provided by The Independent EU leaders will not hold a debate on Brexit at a key EU summit on Thursday and Friday, despite Boris Johnson's trip to Brussels to try and unblock trade talks.
The decision is a blow to hopes that the 27 presidents and prime ministers could stage their own last-minute political intervention to approve concessions for the UK.
A senior EU official said it was a "not the intention to have a decision or a debate" on Brexit at the meeting.
"What we might have is a debrief on the state of play of the situation by the president of the European Commission, still subject to confirmation, just to take stock of where we are," they said.
"We don't want to be dragged into a debate on this and I think member states are quite clear on this. We trust the negotiator and the negotiator will tell us when it's possible [to get a deal].
Mr Johnson is flying to Brussels on Wednesday evening to have dinner with Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, with the aim of convincing the EU to change tack in talks.
Video: UK PM Johnson warns EU over Brexit trade talks: back down or it's no-deal (Reuters)
UK PM Johnson warns EU over Brexit trade talks: back down or it's no-deal
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UP NEXT
But hopes of a breakthrough at the summit the day after have now faded after leaders decided to prioritise other issues for discussion, such as coronavirus, climate change, and, their relationship with the United States.
Speaking to journalists in Westminster ahead of Mr Johnson's trip, the prime minister's official spokesperson downplayed hopes of an immediate breakthrough.
"If progress can be made at political level this may allow Lord Frost and his negotiating team to resume the talks in the coming days but we need to see how the talks this evening go first," he said.
"Time is in very short supply, which is why the prime minister is going tonight to try to inject some political impetus into the process. ."
The spokesperson did not rule out the possibility that parliament may have to sit during the Christmas break to vote through any deal, saying only: "We are confident that should we get a free trade agreement there is time for parliament to pass any necessary legislation. We have seen that parliament is able to act with pace if needed. We ill set out parliamentary business in the usual way."
Asked if the PM regards tonight's meeting as a negotiation, press secretary Allegra Stratton replied: "No, it's a dinner, it's a conversation between two political leaders trying to assess where they both stand."
More follows.