FILE PHOTO: European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier delivers a speech at the "Les Grandes Conferences Catholiques", in Brussels, Belgium, November 5, 2018. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

HELSINKI (Reuters) - The European Union’s Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said on Wednesday it was impossible to say when divorce talks with Britain would be finalised and that there would be no deal agreed without a solid fix for the Irish border.

“To be frank, we are not there yet. The clock is ticking. The choices need to be made now on the UK side,” Barnier told reporters after a meeting with Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila.

“The clock is ticking. I will not give you a date. I cannot give you a date. There are still important issues outstanding... so we have more work to do.”