Charles Michel calls for calm over Brexit Navy fishing threat

European Council President Charles Michel called for cool heads on Sunday after reports the U.K. could deploy Royal Navy vessels to patrol British waters if there’s no Brexit deal.

“I want to say: Keep cool,” the former Belgian prime minister told radio station France Inter. Just because “we are at the end of a negotiation” doesn’t mean “that we have to lose our composure.”

Four military ships with machine guns could be deployed to prevent illegal fishing by EU boats if there is no Brexit deal. The U.K. government is also preparing legislation that would allow the Navy to impound ships and arrest European fishermen who venture too far into British waters.

“I won’t say like Donald Trump that our ships are bigger than theirs because I’m trying to be serious,” said Michel.

The European side is keeping it together and remains united, he said. “I encourage everyone to stay calm on the subject,” Michel said. “We want peaceful and respectful behavior.”

After speaking Sunday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said negotiations on a Brexit deal will continue.