European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic also accused the UK of dragging its feet during talks in the past months. And he urged Lord Frost and his negotiating team to "double their efforts" to help secure an end to the stalemate.

       Mr Sefcovic's remarks risk reigniting tensions after signs last week that progress was being made and relations were starting to thaw.

       The UK and the EU remain locked on how to improve the Northern Ireland Protocol.

       Agreed as part of the original Brexit deal, this procedure requires checks on goods at ports to avoid a land border with the Republic.

       But it has caused disruption to trade and angered unionists, who have demanded the rules be scrapped. The Government has threatened to trigger Article 16 of the protocol to unilaterally suspend the border arrangements if the EU refuses to give ground.

       That is likely to trigger a legal challenge from Brussels and could spark a trade war.

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       Lord Frost said at the weekend the EU's solutions "don't deal with the problems" and he called for "much more urgency".

       But Mr Sefcovic responded on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show: "Sometimes I have the feeling that I am the only one who is pushing for urgent solutions.

       "We have been putting on the table the proposals on solving uninterrupted supply of medicines to Northern Ireland since June 30.

       "Lord Frost has been telling me that what is very important for him is not only content but also process and I was waiting if he can deliver on that solution jointly."

       Mr Sefcovic warned the UK against continued "political posturing and bringing new problems to the table".Asked if he believes the UK could still trigger Article 16, he said: "We're doing everything possible to avoid it."