British Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak is hopeful that a deal between the European Union and the United Kingdom over the Northern Ireland Protocol is imminent.

Sunak travelled to Belfast on Wednesday to meet with Northern Irish political parties and discuss the progress of Brexit negotiations. He said that there had been “positive progress” in the talks, but warned that there is “more work to do” before a deal can be struck.

The DUP, the largest unionist party in Northern Ireland, said that there had been “some progress” in the talks but that more work was needed before a deal could be reached.

The Northern Irish parties have welcomed the progress made in the Brexit negotiations, but have expressed concerns about the potential impact of the protocol on the region’s economy and trade.

The UK and the EU have been working to reach an agreement on the Northern Ireland Protocol since the UK left the EU in January 2020. The protocol is designed to ensure that goods and services can move freely between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, while also protecting the EU’s single market.

It is hoped that a deal can be reached soon, with Sunak saying that there is “a real sense of momentum” in the talks. He added that he was “optimistic” that a deal could be struck within the next few weeks.