"Earlier this afternoon the PM spoke first to the President of the European Commission and then the President of the European Council. She explained that the UK respected the position of EU Member States that membership of the single market requires accepting the four freedoms and therefore the UK would not be seeking membership but instead the greatest possible access to it through a new, comprehensive, bold and ambitious free trade agreement," the government spokesperson said, as quoted in a press release.
According to the statement, Juncker and Tusk were satisfied with the explanation of the United Kingdom's position, with Tusk welcoming the negotiations that would start as soon as the United Kingdom triggered Article 50.
The press release also said that May later spoke to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and then French President Francois Hollande of the United Kingdom's wish for the European Union to prosper and its decision to not hold on to the single market membership.
Merkel and Hollande reportedly welcomed May's "intention to negotiate a new partnership with the EU when [the United Kingdom] leaves."
The United Kingdom held a referendum on June 23, 2016, deciding to leave the European Union. May said the country would trigger the Article 50 of the EU Lisbon Treaty by the end of March, thus beginning withdrawal negotiations, as well as negotiations on free trade with London's international partners.
