French President Emmanuel Macron praised the outgoing Prime Minister for not taking “Europe hostage” throughout the Brexit negotiations. Tory leadership contenders Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt were encouraged to show the same “respect and seriousness” as Mrs May did while negotiating her draft EU withdrawal agreement. Speaking after a European Council summit in Brussels, Mr Macron said: “Theresa May, all the way through the negotiations she’s been incredibly loyal and respectful. She never stood in the way of Europe, we sometimes disagreed but she never took the discussions on the future or Europe hostage.

“I do not know who will come next, and I certainly do not want to interfere in the British life, but I do hope it will be with the same respect and seriousness that she had.

“And what truly matters is we’re able to reach a final decision.”

Brussels is concerned that Mr Johnson and Mr Hunt’s campaign pledge to deliver drastic changes to Mrs May’s deal makes the possibility a no-deal Brexit more likely.

Both candidates, one of which will be selected as Tory leader by party’s grassroots members next month, have suggested scrapping or tweaking the Northern Irish backstop.

Negotiations would “go around in the same circles” unless the next prime minister scraps Britain’s red lines – to leave the customs union and single market.

Mark Rutte, the Dutch prime minister, said: “I believe on October 31 it ends, except if you have elections, a new referendum or you have a new prime minister going to Brussels saying, ‘I want to discuss the red lines’, and then you could have a look at the political declaration. But, only in that case.

“We’re not going to renegotiate if nothing chances because that would go around in the same circles.”

Irish premier Leo Varadkar warned a no-deal Brexit would force the EU to implement a hard border.

Brussels would force Dublin to implement checks and controls to “protect the single market”, he told reporters.

He said: “If there is a no-deal Brexit at the end of October, Ireland will be under an obligation to protect the single market.

“It’s our single market, our economy and our jobs are dependent on it and we’ll have to make sure that Ireland doesn’t become the backdoor to the European single market and we’re going to work with the Commission on mechanisms by which we can do that.

“The only way that I can see that we can be sure that we avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland is through regulatory alignment.”

Mr Rutte shrugged off claims by Brexiteers that a technological fix is readily available for preventing a hard border.

The Dutch leader insisted the EU would not accept a time-limit on the Northern Ireland backstop because that would only push the threat of a hard border back a few years.

He said: “If you were to have a time limit on the backstop, that would mean in four or five years you would have a hard border on Ireland because nobody sees how with new technology you can solve that problem in five years.”

EU leaders spent just 12 minutes deliberating over Britain’s departure from the bloc at the close of June’s Council summit.

They agreed to welcome the next prime minister with open arms in a final push to avoid a no-deal divorce.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said: “We have shown our willingness to continue to work well together with the new British prime minister after the election in Great Britain.”

Mr Varadkar proposed a meeting in Dublin to get to know his new counterpart and hear their ideas.

The Irish leader said: “Once there is a new prime minister in place I look forward to an early meeting and look forward to hearing what ideas they may have as to how we may amend the political declaration.”

European Council President Donald Tusk warned that the personnel changes could result in turbulent talks between Brussels and the new Tory leader.

Mr Tusk said: “Maybe the process of Brexit will be even more exciting before because of some personnel decisions in London.”

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