German Chancellor Angela Merkel smiles as she attends the European Union leaders summit in Brussels, Belgium October 18, 2018. REUTERS/Toby Melville

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Time is running short for reaching an agreement on Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said after a Brussels summit of the bloc’s remaining leaders, adding that a deal should still be achievable.

At a post-summit news conference, she added that the 27 leaders had agreed to reassemble to assess progress as soon as sufficient progress had been made in talks, including on sticking points such as the status of the border in Ireland.

She added that she was no more or less optimistic following the summit than before.

“Where there is a will there should be a way,” she told reporters. “We agreed that when sufficient progress has been made we will meet again, but right now it isn’t clear when such a meeting can take place.”