European Union leaders - minus Britain - gather ahead of 'Brexit' negotiations to plot their moves

“There was some concern that the UK will try to approach the negotiations with divide-and-rule tactics,” said Agata Gostyńska, a research fellow at the Centre for European Reform, a London-based think-tank. “The EU has something big at stake. It’s the EU’s fate. This is one of Germany’s priorities, to keep the EU united.”

Earlier this week, German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned that Britain will feel the difference once it leaves the union because it no longer can have the same advantages. Gostyńska said leaders are afraid that conceding too much to the UK in Brexit negotiations could set a dangerous example.

“This could open a window of opportunity for some of the other member states to say, ‘Look, if the UK can still have this good deal and enjoy a very favorable access to the single market, then why shouldn’t we go down the same path?’ ” she said.