Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has suggested the UK might change its mind about Brexit.
In an interview with Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant, Dr Muscat said that he sensed doubts about the decision to quit the EU beginning to creep in.
“For the first time, I’m starting to believe that Brexit will not happen. I am seeing hopeful signs that indicate things will change. I see encouraging signs that the tide is turning. I’m not saying the Brits have made a mistake, but the mood is changing,” he said.
Dr Muscat acknowledged that the UK had voted to leave the EU, but said that the referendum result had created a situation "in which everyone loses" and said history was full of examples when the people's will had "disastrous consequences.".
"It would be good if a political leader in the UK stands up and is courageous enough to address this new situation. Someone who says: let’s put the Brexit end-deal to a popular vote,” the Prime Minister said.
UK Prime Minister Theresa May has said that the final Brexit deal, which must be agreed upon by the end of March 2019, would be put to a parliamentary vote.
Brexit negotiations began last month and progress so far appears halting, with the two sides expressing very different views as to how the UK should withdraw from the EU.
While the UK is keen to negotiate both its exit and subsequent agreements concurrently, European leaders have been clear that the UK must quit the bloc before talks about future relations can take place.
The perception that UK negotiators are ill-prepared for the talks have added to scepticism that talks will falter.
But in his interview, Dr Muscat said critics had the wrong end of the stick.
"The problem isn’t that London is prepared badly, but that the EU is prepared extremely well," Dr Muscat told the Dutch newspaper.
"That much became clear when Michael Barnier asked me, ‘Do you know how many cats and dogs travel from Dover to Calais every year? Do you know what’s to be done with the animal passport?’ Such detail! “That’s when I knew: the EU is excellently prepared."