As May Readies Trade Speech, Tusk Sees Difficulties

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May meets with European Union Council President Donald Tusk at 10 Downing Street in London, Britain, on March 1, 2018. Frank Augstein/Reuters

LONDON/BRUSSELS—“Real political difficulties” lie ahead for Brexit, EU summit chair Donald Tusk said after Prime Minister Theresa May gave him a preview of the vision of future trade ties she will unveil on Friday March 2.

Over lunch at her Downing Street office, aides said, May told him a draft Brexit treaty published by the European Union on Wednesday was “unacceptable” in its proposal of keeping Northern Ireland effectively in an EU customs union, potentially isolating the province economically from the British mainland.