PARIS: A no-deal Brexit is becoming the most likely scenario for Britain's departure from the European Union, a French presidential aide said Wednesday, a day before Boris Johnson holds his first face-to-face meeting as premier with President Emmanuel Macron.

"The scenario that is becoming the most likely is one of no deal," said the official, who asked not to be named.

Even so, Britain would still have to pay its £39 billion ($47 billion, 43 billion euro) withdrawal bill. "The idea of saying 'there not a deal, so I won't pay' does not work," said the official.