European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier speaks to the media at an European Union leaders summit in Brussels, Belgium October 17, 2018. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, said on Wednesday much more time was needed to secure an exit deal for Britain, but that officials would work calmly and patiently in the coming weeks.

At the beginning of an EU summit in Brussels, Barnier told reporters: “We have worked a lot for the past few weeks and days, and nights also with the British delegations to reach a global agreement for the withdrawal agreement and the political declaration.”

“We are not there yet ... We need time, we need much more time. We will continue the work in the next weeks calmly and patiently.”