The Prime Minister and the EU chief will continue their talks in person after the UK Government dropped controversial plans that would have allowed ministers to break international law.
The olive branch came after the two sides reached an agreement on the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement divorce deal as time rapidly runs out to the end of the transition period on December 31.
Meanwhile, Brussels’ chief negotiator Michel Barnier warned EU foreign ministers that he now believes a no-deal departure is more likely than a trade agreement being brokered in time, the PA news agency understands.
But both sides set the stage for a potentially make-or-break meal in Belgium today (Wednesday).
In a statement, Downing Street said: “The PM will travel to Brussels tomorrow for dinner with VDL to continue discussions on the future relationship between the UK and the EU.”
Ms von der Leyen said that “I look forward” to welcoming Mr Johnson on Wednesday evening, adding: “We will continue our discussion on the Partnership Agreement.”
This comes after the Prime Minister said trade talks with the bloc were proving “very tricky” and that it was “very, very difficult” to make progress, but that he was hopeful about reaching a deal.
The attempt to salvage a deal with face-to-face talks between the two political leaders in Brussels will come after a lengthy phone call on Monday failed to break the deadlock in negotiations led by Lord Frost and Mr Barnier.
Lord Frost was to return to London on Tuesday to discuss remaining differences in reaching a deal with Mr Johnson, Downing Street said. The Prime Minister said he hoped the “power of sweet reason” would triumph but Brussels had to accept there were limits to what the UK would be prepared to accept.
Talks have faltered on the issues of fishing rights, the “level playing field” measures aimed at preventing the UK undercutting the EU on standards and subsidies, and the way adeal would be governed.
In a message to Brussels, Mr Johnson acknowledged the two sides “are a long way apart” on fisheries and said there may be a point where it is “time to draw stumps”. “There are just limits beyond which no sensible, independent government or country could go,” he said.