BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union must do everything possible to ensure that Britain leaves the bloc in an orderly fashion, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said ahead of a European Council summit that is set to be dominated by Brexit.

“I think we all understand that this is a development of historic importance, so we must proceed cautiously and work to the last minute to ensure we can have an orderly Brexit,” she told reporters in Brussels.

“One option is that the exit agreement and the clarifications agreed in Strasbourg, which I think are very good, will get a majority in the British parliament,” she added.

“But we also have to prepare for the possibility of that not happening, and then we will decide what to do if that happens.”

She added that there was little scope for changing the negotiated agreements.

“The agreement was very well negotiated, so our room for maneuver is limited.”