Ursula von der Leyen,in London today, said 'without an extension of the transition period beyond 2020 you cannot expect to agree on every single aspect of our new partnership'

‘The EU and UK will still be best friends but things will never be the same’: EU chief Ursula von der Leyen warns Boris Johnson 'of tough talks ahead' as she says it'll be IMPOSSIBLE to strike a full post-Brexit trade deal by end of this year

Ursula von der Leyen used speech in London today to line out her Brexit demands

She warned it'll be 'impossible' to strike an entire trade deal by end of 2020

She suggested her preference is for the Brexit transition period to be extended

Boris Johnson categorically ruled out extension, wants full deal by end of year

Mr Johnson and Ms von der Leyen will meet in No10 this afternoon for first talks

New EU chief Ursula von der Leyen today claimed it'll be 'impossible' to strike an entire trade affect the united kingdom by the top of this year as she insisted Brussels and Britain will remain 'best of friends' after Brexit.

The new president of the ecu Commission will meet Boris Johnson for showdown talks in Number 10 this afternoon but she used a speech in London this morning to get down the gauntlet to the PM.

The UK will leave the EU on January 31 but will then enter a 'standstill' transition period, ending in December, during which the 2 sides will attempt to thrash out the terms of a future trading relationship.

Mr Johnson has vowed to not extend the transition period in any circumstances and he wants the united kingdom and EU to possess agreed a full deal within the next 11 months.

But Ms von der Leyen said during an address at the London School of Economics, where she spent a year doggo as a student within the late 1970s after becoming a target of the left-wing terrorist Baader-Meinhof gang, that a full deal wouldn't be achievable.

She said: 'Without an extension of the transition period beyond 2020 you can't expect to agree on every single aspect of our new partnership. we'll need to prioritise.'

Ms von der Leyen hinted she would like the transition period to be extended but suggested if it's not then the united kingdom could leave the EU with only a partial trade deal in situ .

The Prime Minister is predicted to use his first official meeting with Ms von der Leyen to warn that the top of 2020 must be viewed as a tough deadline for talks.

Ms von der Leyen and therefore the EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier - who also will be at No10 this afternoon - have previously branded the schedule 'unrealistic'.

In another pressure tactic, it's emerged that Mr Barnier has been sabre-rattling over protections for EU citizens living within the UK, calling for a totally independent watchdog to ensure their rights.

Ms von der Leyen's intervention came as Britain took another step towards formally leaving the bloc, with the Withdrawal Agreement Bill continuing its progress through the Commons.

Ursula von der Leyen, pictured in London today, said 'without an extension of the transition period beyond 2020 you can't expect to agree on every single aspect of our new partnership'

Ms von der Leyen, pictured arriving in London this morning, used her address to praise the 'fantastic sense of humour of British people’ as she spoke of her 'love for this country’

Boris Johnson, pictured in Downing Street today, will use his first official meeting with the new president of the ecu Commission to insist he won't countenance any extension of the transition beyond the top of this year

Mr Johnson's tough stance on the transition period echoes a key pledge within the Tory manifesto and means there's now a race against the clock to undertake to agree the terms of a future partnership.

Ms von der Leyen initially used her speech at the LSE to launch a charm offensive as she praised the 'fantastic sense of humour of British people’ and spoke of her 'love for this country’.

She added: ‘In just over three weeks on the 31st of January the united kingdom will spend its Judgment Day as a member of the EU. this may be a troublesome and emotional day.

‘But when the sun rises again on February 1 the ecu Union and therefore the uk will still be the simplest of friends and partners.

‘The bonds between us will still be unbreakable.’

But Ms von der Leyen struck a pessimistic tone as she said that while the EU wants to strike a 'truly ambitious and comprehensive new partnership’ with the united kingdom she doesn't believe that employment are often completed by the top of 2020.