On UK’s decision to seek Brexit deal renegotiations, European Council President Donald Tusk said via his spokesman “The Withdrawal Agreement is and remains the best and only way to ensure an orderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union”. “The backstop is part of the Withdrawal Agreement, and the Withdrawal Agreement is not open for renegotiation.”
Nevertheless, Tusk said “We welcome and share the UK parliament’s ambition to avoid a no-deal scenario. We continue to urge the UK government to clarify its intentions with respect to its next steps as soon as possible.” And, “If the UK’s intentions for the future partnership were to evolve, the EU would be prepared to reconsider its offer and adjust the content and the level of ambition of the political declaration… Should there be a UK reasoned request for an extension, the EU27 would stand ready to consider it and decide by unanimity.”
European Parliament Guy Verhofstadt echoed and said “we stand by Ireland,”and “there is no majority to re-open or dilute the Withdrawal Agreement in the European Parliament, including the backstop.”
