Trump Claims Would Take 'Tougher Stand' in Brexit Negotiations Than May

LONDON (Sputnik) - US President Donald Trump said he would have taken a tougher approach to Brexit negotiations with the European Union than UK Prime Minister Theresa May.

"I think I would have negotiated it differently. I would have had a different attitude… I would have said that the European Union is not cracked up to what it's supposed to be. And I would have taken a tougher stand in getting out," Trump said in an interview with the UK ITV broadcaster, released in full on Monday.

Trump's first international interview since he took office in January 2017 was held after his meeting with May on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. Despite Washington and London have recently faced disagreements on a number of issues, during the talks the parties reiterated commitment to partnership.

Brexit negotiations between the United Kingdom and the European Union are due to be completed by the end of March 2019. In December, the sides finished the first phase of talks, which included a discussion on the issue of citizens' rights. The sides subsequently moved to the second phase of the talks, dedicating the negotiations to the transition period in EU-UK relations after Brexit, and their future long-term trade and security cooperation.

Despite the long-awaited progress in the talks, both sides have suggested the possibility of a hard Brexit — the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union without a mutually favourable trade agreement.