A much-talked about moment of levity during what proved to be a long and often fraught discussion about extending Article 50 captured the attention of international media on Wednesday. German chancellor Angela Merkel was laughing with Theresa May as she shared an image on her iPad of the two leaders wearing almost identical jackets. Bettel and European Council president Donald Tusk and Portuguese premier Antonio Costa also got in on the joke.

After the meeting Bettel explained that one of Luxembourg’s most important conditions in agreeing to the “flextension” offer was that European elections take place in the UK if it is still in the European Union on 23 May. But a clearly exasperated prime minister also said: “It would be good if another subject other than Brexit could be put on the agenda in Brussels.”