President of the European Council Donald Tusk has joined other EU leaders in gloating over Theresa May's failure to win the general election, warning that time is running out for Britain to avoid getting 'no deal'.

Mr Tusk said the clock is ticking for Britain to negotiate its future relationship with the EU, adding: 'We don't know whenBrexit talks start. We know when they must end'.

Meanwhile EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said he hoped for no 'further delay' in Brexit talks.

Mr Tusk joined a raft of smug politicians across the continent after voters dealt Mrs May a punishing blow, denying her the stronger mandate she had sought to conduct Brexit talks and weakening her party's grip on power.

The European Parliament's Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt said the election was 'yet another own goal' for the UK, while French EU commissioner Pierre Moscovici said Mrs May 'lost her bet' before adding: 'We don't really know what the governing situation is this morning'.

European Council president Donald Tusk (pictured left sharing a joke with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker) said: 'We don't know when Brexit talks start. We know when they must end'

Donald Tusk tweeted that the British should do their best to 'avoid a "no deal" as result of "no negotiations"'

French EU commissioner Pierre Moscovici gloated that 'we don't really know what the governing situation is this morning' after Theresa May failed to win a majority

European Parliament chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt piled the misery on Prime Minister Theresa May after her party lost seats in the general election

German chancellor Angela Merkel (pictured left) enjoys a toast with Argentinian President Mauricio Macri during a state dinner at the Kirchner Cultural Centre in Buenos Aires last night

Mrs May said it was 'incumbent' on her party to stay on in government if it received the most seats in the election

Italian MEP and leader of the EU parliament's Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Group Gianni Pittella praised Jeremy Corbyn and called on Mrs May to resign

But Germany and France have both insisted that Brexit will still go ahead, with a colleague of Angela Merkel adding: 'Time is ticking'.

The German government, however, said it will not comment on the election 'out of politeness and respect' while a government is formed.

Spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer added the EU is prepared for Brexit negotiations and that there was a timeframe for them, saying: "Nothing has changed about that ... In any case we hope the negotiations can begin quickly because the two-year period is already running and could only be extended unanimously.'

Italian MEP and leader of the EU parliament's Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Group Gianni Pittella praised Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and called on Mrs May to resign.

He said: 'It's a disaster for May. Her huge gamble has backfired spectacularly. She has no credibility in UK or Europe', adding: 'She should resign.'

Mr Pittella also called for Brexit negotiations to start so the EU could have a 'positive relationship' with Britain, though the UK's rights and benefits 'can't be the same'.

European Parliament Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt (pictured above) said the election was 'yet another own goal' for Britain

German foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel said the UK vote reflected popular discontent over Mrs May's hard Brexit strategy, which he said should be reconsidered.

'The message from this vote is - hold fair talks with the EU and think again whether it is really good for Britain to leave the EU in this manner,' he told reporters.

He added he hoped 'a new government will be formed quickly with which we can hold serious negotiations'.

A spokeswoman for Chancellor Angela Merkel meanwhile declined to comment on the election until a new government is formed, while the German leader was a on a tour of Argentina and Mexico.

German MEP Manfred Weber also rubbed salt in Mrs May's wounds by saying 'Europe is for the moment strong and united and we are waiting for Britain', adding: 'May wanted stability but brought chaos to her country instead'.

The chairman of the European People's Party, the largest grouping in the EU parliament, added: 'One year after the decision by the British people to leave the European Union, we see that Europe, Paris for example, Berlin and even Brussels is very stable, so we are ready, and we see disorientation in London, which is not a positive thing.'

Asked whether he expected to negotiate with Theresa May, he said it was purely a domestic matter, adding: 'We want to start, the time is running, and instability, losing time, is not in your or our interest.

Speaking to French Europe 1 radio, EU commissioner Mr Moscovici said: 'Mrs May, who was supposed to emerge strengthened, lost her bet and is therefore in a less than clear situation because the truth is that we don't really know what the governing situation is this morning.'

French prime minister Edouard Philippe, however, said he 'always thought these [Brexit] discussions wouldn't be simple'.

German MEP Manfred Weber said the UK is 'deeply split' and accused Mrs May of bringing 'chaos' to the country

He added: 'In fact, they will be long and complex.

'I do not believe, however, that one should read into these results a shift in the position expressed by the British over Brexit.'

And in the Czech Republic, Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said Britain should form a new government quickly, as months have already been lost in its divorce talks with the EU.

French prime minister Edouard Philippe (pictured) said he 'always thought these [Brexit] discussions wouldn't be simple'.

'I only hope that it will not take too long [to form a government] because we have already lost several months from the time that Britain officially announced Brexit in March,' Sobotka told Czech Television.

'But now it will be necessary to wait for who will form a government and what this government will bring to negotiations over Brexit.'

German deputy foreign minister and member of Mrs Merkel's coalition government Michael Roth said Brexit negotiations need to start 'as soon as possible'.

He added: 'Regardless of the question of who will form a government in Britain, time is ticking... We have less than two years to negotiate the exit ... so we should not waste any time now.'

He also said he was 'so proud' of young Brits 'who voted for Europe, social justice and solidarity', adding: 'Cheers!'

Meanwhile German EU Commissioner Günther Oettinger said 'the referendum stands, no one is challenging that', adding: 'A weak negotiations partner raises the risk of having the negotiations go badly for both sides'.