Emmanuel Macron has said Britain will secure a bespoke trade deal but left the door open to Brexit being reversed.
The French President said he would “love” to welcome the UK back into the European Union and insisted the group of member states will become 27 “unhappily”.
Mr Macron said on Thursday that France would not give in to British demands for the financial services sector to be covered by a Brexit trade deal after talks with Theresa May.
In an interview recorded for BBC One’s The Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, he said there is a “a competition between different countries” to attract financial services companies in the future and that France wanted “to attract the maximum activity”.
Asked if it was inevitable that Britain would leave, he replied: “I mean, it’s on your own. It depends on you. I mean, I do respect this vote, I do regret this vote, and I would love to welcome you again.”
Mr Macron said full access for financial services to the single market “is not feasible”.
Pressed on whether there would be a bespoke special solution for Britain, he said: “Sure, but… this special way should be consistent with the preservation of the single market and our collective interests.
“And you should understand that you cannot, by definition, have the full access to the single market if you don’t tick the box.”
He added: “So it’s something perhaps between this full access and a trade agreement.”