European Council president Donald Tusk recommends EU27 pass Theresa May’s Brexit withdrawal agreement tomorrow evening

European Council president Donald Tusk has recommended that the 27 EU member states approve the Brexit withdrawal agreement at a summit in Brussels tomorrow.

He said the objectives of the negotiations – to minimise uncertainty and disruption, settle the status of EU citizens in the UK, avoid a hard border in Ireland, ensure the UK honours financial commitments and prevent a legal vacuum for businesses – had been achieved.

Tusk’s call to EU countries comes after the Spain and Britain reached an agreement over the status of Gibraltar during the Brexit transition, following Spain's threats that it would oppose the deal tomorrow evening.

In a statement this afternoon Tusk said: “The Withdrawal Agreement ensures that the rights of our citizens are fully protected, the peace process in Northern Ireland should not be affected, the UK will continue its payments to the EU budget during the transition period and legal certainty will be secured.

“Our negotiator has thereby managed to reduce the risks and losses resulting from the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union.”

Tusk said that during in the negotiations following the 2016 referendum result “no one wanted to defeat anyone” and added on Twitter “No one has reasons to be happy, but at least at this critical time, the EU has passed the test of unity and solidarity”.