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) - Britain’s departure from the European Union must be orderly and include an insurance against a hard border on the island of Ireland, the European Union’s Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said on Thursday.

“Brexit must include a solid, all-weather backstop to avoid a hard border (between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland),” he said on Twitter after a summit of EU leaders.