The UK and European Union's Brexit negotiators are meeting in Brussels as the two sides look to solve the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The protocol was part of the Brexit deal signed in 2020, seeing the UK leave the EU. It was designed to prevent a hard border between Northern Ireland (part of the UK) and the Republic of Ireland (an EU member state).

It meant the UK territory would be part of the EU's single market for goods, however, and in essence, treated differently from England, Scotland, and Wales, which make up Great Britain.

That's led to tensions in Northern Ireland's politically sensitive environment, which saw nearly three decades of sectarian violence between largely Catholic republicans and largely Protestant unionists, which mostly ended with the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

READ MORE

Confusion reigns in the Ukraine/Russia border crisis

Could antivirals be the key to fighting COVID-19?

Sibling rivalry in the skies for flying world record

Businesses have suffered over the past couple of years too, with lengthy queues and checks on goods coming into Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK.

Earlier this month, the leader of Northern Ireland's devolved government, Paul Givan, resigned in protest over the issue, plunging the region into further political uncertainty.

His departure could galvanize efforts to find a solution. UK Foreign Minister Liz Truss, who's co-chairing Monday's meeting with the EU Commission's VP Maros Sefcovic, described talks as a stock-taking session.

"It is important we all work together to preserve peace and stability in Northern Ireland, allowing us to focus on building a stronger relationship and focus on external issues, not least the situation in Eastern Europe and standing up to Russian aggression," she said.

Shifting influences

With the UK out of the EU, its influence on European foreign policy decisions has greatly diminished.

In recent years, its focus has shifted to the Asia-Pacific region, as well as close alignment with the U.S. on key issues, such as relations with China and the catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan. 

In terms of Ukraine, the UK has called for closer cooperation with the EU on economic sanctions against Russia if it invades. 

In December, the EU proposed some changes to the protocol including easing checks on medicines coming into Northern Ireland from Britain. But the UK wants far wider changes and has previously called for an entirely new protocol to be set up.