As deep confusion reigns over the status of UK-European Union (EU) post-Brexit trade talks, the bloc’s leaders have embarked on a possibly last ditch effort to salvage negotiations.

To that end, the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, has proposed to “intensify” talks in the days and weeks ahead.

— Michel Barnier (@MichelBarnier)

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🇪🇺🇬🇧 I just spoke to

@DavidGHFrost

.

As stated by President

@vonderleyen

on Friday, I confirmed that the EU remains available to intensify talks in London this week, on all subjects, and based on legal texts.

We now wait for the UK’s reaction.

— Michel Barnier (@MichelBarnier)

October 19, 2020

Barnier made the proposal after a telephone call with his British counterpart, Lord David Frost, after he was effectively told not to travel to London for face-to-face talks with British officials.

Barnier has reportedly offered to escalate talks to a higher level by addressing one of the UK’s core grievances, namely that talks must be guided by “legal texts” as opposed to political considerations.

Barnier’s intervention – which may prove to be the last on the part of the EU – comes in the wake of a series of contradictory messages from British leaders and officials.

First and foremost, Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, claimed late last week that the UK must “get ready” to trade with the EU without an overarching agreement.

This was quickly followed by a Downing Street statement that went further than the PM’s position by announcing that UK-EU talks are “over”.

And then only yesterday, Cabinet Office Minister, Michael Gove, added fresh confusion to the big picture by saying that the door to further talks is “still ajar”.

In view of the dizzying complexity of the situation – coupled with the strong emotions driving both parties – it remains to be seen if Barnier’s intervention can place bilateral talks on a stable footing.