Britain is likely to leave the European Union without a trade deal in just under three weeks' time, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday that it was very likely that trade talks with the European Union would fail and that the United Kingdom would leave the bloc at the end of year without a deal.

Britain remains committed to exploring "every last avenue" to try to narrow differences with the European Union and secure a post-Brexit trade deal, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman said on Friday.

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Friday that Europe needed to prepare for a "hard Brexit", as fundamental issues still separated Britain from its former European Union partners in trade talks.

European Union leaders rejected a proposal from British Prime Minister Boris Johnson for a Brexit call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, a senior official in the bloc's Brussels hub said on Friday.

A senior EU official said Sunday's target date for a Brexit deal might well turn into another missed deadline in the saga, adding that the latest developments in EU-UK talks did not leave them "very optimistic".

BRUSSELS (Reuters) -European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday the positions in talks with Britain on a trade deal remained apart on the question of ensuring a level playing field in the future and access to UK fishing waters for EU fleets.

French President Emmanuel said on Friday he hoped Britain and the European Union could find a deal on their future relationship that would respect both sides and preserve European interests.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday there was "a strong possibility" Britain and the EU would fail to strike a new trade deal, but vowed to do whatever he could to avoid a tumultuous split in three weeks.

DOVER, England (Reuters) -Trucks heading towards the English port of Dover were stacked up for miles on Thursday, just three weeks before Britain exits the European Union's orbit in a potentially tumultuous finale to the five-year divorce, a Reuters photographer said.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the 27 national EU leaders meeting in Brussels on Friday a no-deal split in trading ties with Britain at the end of the year was now more likely than not, an official said.

With prospects for a post-Brexit trade deal with the EU looking precarious, Britain's retail industry repeated a warning on Friday that shoppers face higher food prices from next year if new tariffs are imposed in the absence of an agreement.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson should be careful about going for a no-trade deal Brexit on so-called "Australian" terms because Australia faces very large barriers to trading with the European Union, former Australian leader Malcolm Turnbull said.

The odds of Britain failing to agree a a trade deal with the European Union before the end of a transition period have risen to 61% on Friday, up from 53% the day before, according to punters betting on the Smarkets exchange.

Britain's status quo transition period with the European Union will end at 2300 GMT on Dec. 31.