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Angela Merkel has handed Boris Johnson a 30-day ultimatum to solve the Brexit backstop row - or crash Britain out without a deal.

Johnson reiterated his objection to the Northern Ireland backstop as he arrived for his first overseas trip as PM.

He said: "Clearly we cannot accept the current Withdrawal Agreement, arrangements that either divide the UK or lock us into the regulatory and trading arrangements of the EU, the legal order of the EU, without the UK having any say on those matters.

"So we do need that backstop removed.

"But if we can do that then I am absolutely certain that we can move forward together."

But the German Chancellor appeared to call Johnson's bluff, saying: "If one is able to solve this conundrum, if one finds this solution, we said we would probably find it in the next two years to come but we can also maybe find it in the next 30 days to come.

"Then we are one step further in the right direction and we have to obviously put our all into this."

There was a long, awkward silence as Johnson arrived to meet Merkel in Berlin.

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The two leaders sat together to hear a military band play their national anthems.

But there was no small talk between the pair ahead of their difficult dinner meeting this evening.

There was speculation the two leaders sat down rather than standing for the anthems because of Mrs Merkel's recent health issues.

She has been filmed at a number of public appearances visibly shaking - though she has dismissed concerns for her welfare.

As Johnson arrived, there were shouts of “liars” and “stop Brexit” from a small crowd on the other side of the Chancellery gates.

(Image: AFP/Getty Images)

The Prime Minister flew to Berlin in his first foreign trip since entering No10 - underlining the power he feels Europe’s biggest economy wields in Brussels.

He will have lunch with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris tomorrow, where will ramp up calls to strip the Irish Backstop - designed to prevent a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic - from the Withdrawal Agreement.

Mr Johnson has pledged to quit the EU with out without a deal on October 31.

Mrs Merkel earlier vowed she would use their talks to discuss how to achieve “the most friction-free British exit from the European Union possible” to protect economic growth.

But a French official said: “The scenario that is now becoming the most likely is the no-deal scenario.

“If the United Kingdom considers that having a backstop is absolutely excluded, that is its right, but in that case it limits the possibility of reaching an agreement.”

(Image: REUTERS)

The official insisted there was “not the thickness of a cigarette paper” between the French and German positions,

The British minister responsible for no-deal preparations, Michael Gove , said the Government was committed to trying to force the EU to scrap the Backstop.

Speaking during a visit to Holyhead Port in Anglesey, North Wales, Mr Gove said: “We’re going to do everything we can to try to get a deal and Boris is seeing Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron in order to try to see if there’s movement on the European side,.

“But so far we haven’t seen much movement from the EU and its leaders so we have to plan prudently in case we don’t get a deal.”

Brussels insisted Mr Johnson would not undermine the EU’s unity by meeting bloc leaders individually.

European Commission spokeswoman Natasha Bertaud said: “The EU27 have had from the outset - and continue to have now - one single, united position on Brexit matters.”

(Image: AFP/Getty Images)

Ireland’s Foreign Minister claimed the PM’s strategy was ramping up the chances of the UK quitting the EU without a pact.

Simon Coveney said: “There is a consequence to the approach that the British Government is taking and that consequence is that they are making a no-deal far more likely.

“There is a reason why Boris Johnson is visiting Berlin today and Paris tomorrow - to try to talk to EU leaders about finding a way forward.

“I think he will get a very consistent message from EU leaders that the negotiations over the last two to three years are not going to be abandoned now.”