Former leader of UK Independence Party (UKIP) Nigel Farage (front R) arrives ahead of a meeting with European Commission member in charge of Brexit negotiations with Britain at the EU headquarters in Brussels on January 8, 2018 | John Thys/AFP via Getty Images Michel Barnier ‘uncomprehending’ on Brexit, says Nigel Farage The former UKIP leader says meeting with the EU’s chief negotiator in Brussels was ‘civil.’

The EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier is still "uncomprehending" of the reasons the U.K. voted to leave the EU, the former U.K. Independence Party leader Nigel Farage said following a meeting between the two Monday.

“Mr. Barnier clearly did not understand why Brexit happened. I left with the impression that it has not been previously explained to him that the Brexit vote was primarily about controlling mass immigration and democratic self-determination," Farage said in an official statement after the meeting, which lasted about 40 minutes.

Farage told POLITICO the conversation had been "civil," but he predicted difficult negotiations ahead because of what he regards as inflexibility on the part of the EU. "[Barnier is] a man that absolutely believes that all the rules and all the laws have to be the same for everybody," he said.

On the trade and financial services aspects of a potential deal, Farage said: "Unless he [Barnier] can compromise somewhat and be prepared to give on services and financial services, the calls to go out of the EU under WTO rules will increase.”

He added, "I'm not sure we're going to have a great time ... [but] when we completely disagreed, we laughed about it."

Farage, who is leader of the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy, the main Euroskeptic group in the European Parliament, wrote to Barnier in October requesting the meeting. He said he had “had enough” with the state of Brexit talks and wanted to "speak for the 17.4 million who did not vote for a transition deal or any further delays."

In the letter, Farage also criticized Barnier for meeting a "neverending stream of Europhiles," including pro-Remain British politicians like Nick Clegg, Lord Adonis and Ken Clarke, who he said don't represent those who voted for Brexit.

Margaritis Schinas, the EU Commission spokesperson, said the two men had discussed "the state of play" of the Brexit negotiations. “We don’t negotiate with MEPs, we negotiate with the British government,” Schinas said, adding that Barnier, has “availability” to hold meetings with MEPs and “other stakeholders.”