The door to the European Union remains open to the United Kingdom as long as exit negotiations are not concluded, French President Emmanuel Macron said after the meeting with UK Prime Minister Theresa May.

Macron added that it will be hard to take a step back after the start of negotiations, Reuters reported.

"The door of course is still open as long as Brexit negotiations have not been concluded, but a sovereign decision to leave the EU has been taken and I respect that decision,” Macron said.

May noted that the timetable for Brexit negotiations remained on course with talks due to start next week. Macron, in turn, said that the British PM should not expect any favors from the European Union during Brexit talks.

"An exit is an exit,” he said.