According to his spokesperson, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker warned UK Prime Minister Theresa May in a phone call that short Brexit extension has to be complete before May 23.

.@JunckerEU thinks it is good that @theresa_may sets out her thoughts ahead of #EUCO; warned her in phone call against including a date for the extension that is after #EUelections2019. #Brexit has to be complete before 23 May – otherwise #EUelections2019 have to be held in UK.

— Mina Andreeva (@Mina_Andreeva) March 20, 2019

The spokesman also later said:

“President Juncker said to the prime minister that he thinks it’s a good idea she sets out her thoughts to the leaders ahead of the EU Council.

However, the president has clearly warned the prime minister against including a date for the extension that will be after the European parliament elections. That’s why he repeated in this call his advice, which he set out in his letter on March 11, that the withdrawal has to be complete before May 23, otherwise we risk facing institutional difficulties and legal uncertainty, given the European elections date.

European elections have to be held if the extension date is beyond May 23. This is the position of the commission and this is what the president informed the prime minister again.”

While UK PM May is seeking Article 50 extension to June 30, an EU document seen by Reuters noted that it won’t grant any extension beyond May 23.

The document noted that “any extension offered to the United Kingdom should either last until 23 May 2019 or should be significantly longer and require European elections.”

And, “this is the only way of protecting the functioning of the EU institutions and their ability to take decisions.”

UK Prime Minister Theresa May confirms at PMQs in parliament that has written to European Council President Donald Tusk to seek extension of article 50 until June 30. She noted that MPs voted for only a short extension last Thursday. Also, holding European election would not be in anyone’s interest. May also said the government will hold another meaningful vote.

May said: “As prime minister, I am not prepared to delay Brexit any further than the 30th of June … I have therefore this morning written to President Tusk, the president of the European Council, informing him that the UK seeks an extension to the article 50 period until the 30th June… The government intends to bring forward proposals for a third meaningful vote. If that vote is passed, the extension will give the House time to consider the Withdrawal Agreement Bill. If not, the House will have to decide how to proceed.”

Here is May’s letter to Tusk.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker reiterated the EU’s stance on Brexit with Germany’s Deutschlandfunk radio. He said “there will be no re-negotiations, no new negotiations, no additional guarantees in addition to those already given”. He added “we have intensively moved towards Britain, there can be no more.”

Juncker also hinted at another EU summit next week and said “my view this morning at quarter past 8 is that we will not get this through this week and we will have to meet again next week”.

Separately, both BBC and Sky reported that UK Prime Minister Theresa May will request only a short delay to Brexit in her letter to European Council President Donald Tusk today. But the actual length will only be confirmed when the letter is published.

Education Secretary Damian Hinds also said “I don’t see how a long delay gives certainty. Actually we’ve had long time already… People are a bit tired of waiting for parliament to get our act together and get the deal passed… Unless and until a deal is finalized, there remains the prospect of the risk of no deal.”

EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier demands concrete plan from the UK so that EU leaders can make a decision on approving an extension.

He said “Does an extension increase the chances of ratification of Withdrawal Agreement? What would be the purpose and outcome? How can we ensure that, at the end of a possible extension, we are not back in the same situation as today?”

“If Theresa May requests an extension before the European Council on Thursday, it will be for the 27 leaders to assess the reason and usefulness… EU leaders will need a concrete plan from the UK in order to be able to make an informed decision,” he added.

European Council President Donald Tusk met Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in Dublin today to “confirm full EU unity on Brexit”. After that they issued a joint statement emphasizing that “we must now see what proposals emerge from London” in advance of the summit in Brussels on Thursday. Also, they noted “preparations continue in Ireland and across the European Union for a no deal scenario, which would have serious consequences for all concerned.

Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s spokesman said she is going to writing a letter to Tusk asking for Brexit delay. But it’s not clear that how long a delay she’d seek. Some Eurosceptics in May’s Cabinet emphasized that that they’re rather leave without a deal than have a long Article 50 extension. But there seems to be no agreement in the Cabinet meeting yet.