Throughout the election campaign, the PM has repeated over and over again that Brexit negotiations begin just 11 days after the General Election. "Even though we know there will be Brexit, the nature of one versus the other is totally different".
It was only after lunchtime that EU Council President Donald Tusk congratulated Theresa May her "reappointment" as prime minister, while reminding her that the Brexit clock is ticking.
Talk in Britain that a different ruling coalition could seek a "softer" Brexit than May has proposed, possibly seeking to remain in the single market, is also problematic for the EU.
"Our shared responsibility and urgent task now is to conduct the negotiations on the UK's withdrawal from the European Union in the best possible spirit, securing the least disruptive outcome for our citizens, businesses and countries after March 2019", he said.
Mr Tusk, who chairs the EU's summits, reflected the cautious mood in Brussels and across European Union capitals as the impact of the elections sunk in.
May had unexpectedly called the snap election seven weeks ago, even though no vote was due until 2020.
Among Tory MPs there was fury at the way a 20-point opinion poll lead at the start of the campaign had been thrown away in an election which she did not need to call for another three years.
At the highest echelons of European Union leadership, the prevailing sentiment is that enough is enough, and that June 19 - when Brexit talks are still scheduled to begin - can not come soon enough.
"First, let's not confuse these results with a new Brexit referendum - that's already done", said Pierre Moscovici, the current European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs and a former French finance minister, in an interview.
Germany's European affairs minister Michael Roth said that time was tight until the expiry of a two-year window to reach a negotiated deal: "We should not waste any time", he said.
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The report goes on to say that these missiles were likely defensive and could possibly be used against opposing warships. Security Council resolution, the South Korean government strongly condemned the test-firing as a grave provocation .
"I'm afraid we ran a pretty terrible campaign", Soubry said.
But Mr Juncker was cautious about extending the two-year negotiation timetable.
Then came almost a year of uncertainty and waffling, of British leaders making promises and retracting them, as European officials sat ready to start divorce proceedings.
After calling a snap election in a bid to strengthen her hand, Theresa May now faces having to tear up her plans - should she cling on to power long enough to set them in motion.
"We want to have a fair deal with Britain and we want to have a fair final Brexit negotiations".
Angela Merkel has said she sees no obstacles in the way of beginning Brexit talks as scheduled after Theresa May failed to win a majority in Thursday's United Kingdom election.
Charles Grant, director of the London-based Centre for European Reform warned that the result would change little for the EU.
Along those lines, Michel Barnier, the EU's principal Brexit negotiator, even seemed willing to play ball with a Britain thrust into internal turmoil.
"They have tough fixed positions on the bill and citizens' rights. Now what?" he said.
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