Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said on Friday that "trust is growing" between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom as the UK and the European Union seek solutions to the Northern Ireland Protocol. He added that the "landing zone" on the protocol is possible in the next few weeks.
Officials from both the EU and the UK have sounded increasingly optimistic since Rishi Sunak took over as UK prime minister. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated on Thursday that her contacts with Sunak have been "encouraging" and that "if both sides are sensitive to this careful balance, a workable solution is within reach." However, the British leader stressed that the UK will not pursue any trade deals requiring "alignment with EU laws."
