British trucking firms, supermarkets and other businesses on Friday implored the government to strike a last-minute trade deal with the European Union, as the two sides' leaders told their citizens to brace for New Year upheaval in the UK-EU trading relationship. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said there is a "strong possibility" that negotiations on a new economic relationship to take effect Jan. 1 will fail.

"We will decide on Sunday whether we have the conditions for an agreement or not," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. Either way, she said, "in less than three weeks, it will be new beginnings for old friends."