Leo Varadkar and Boris Johnson are set for a September Brexit showdown in Dublin next month.
The Taoiseach and British Prime Minister spoke for an hour on the phone this evening.
But they failed to see eye to eye on Brexit, with each holding completely opposite views on the backstop after their talk.
This sets the scene for a showdown in Dublin next month between the two leaders.
Mr Johnson told Mr Varadkar in the phone that he is accepting the Taoiseach's invite to come to our home patch for talks next month.
The meeting will take place early next month. During the course of their hour-long call, Mr Varadkar told Mr Johnson the backstop is not up for renegotiation. Mr Johnson countered by saying the backstop has to go.
A spokesman for the Taoiseach said: "They shared perspectives on the Withdrawal Agreement.
"The Prime Minister indicated that the Withdrawal Agreement in its current form will not get through the House of Commons, that the backstop would need to be removed, and that an alternative solution is required.
"The Taoiseach reiterated the EU27 position that the Withdrawal Agreement cannot be reopened, and emphasised the importance of the legally operable guarantee to ensure no hard border and continued free trade on the island of Ireland."
