A demarche is a diplomatic message from one government to another, often a rebuke and seldom directed at close allies. And, after recent warnings from the EU that any further unilateral action on the protocol could trigger trade sanctions, Brussels is now signalling a more graduated approach. It has achieved this by increasing the cost to Johnson of taking unilateral action and of pursuing his current approach to relations with the EU. Ahead of Saturday’s meetings with European leaders, Johnson’s spokesman said the prime minister was focused on finding “radical and urgent solutions within the protocol”. That marks a shift from Frost’s rhetoric about the protocol being “unsustainable” and could be a prelude to a more constructive approach in the crucial weeks ahead.

Source: The Irish Times June 12, 2021 04:01 UTC