France has accused David Cameron of trying to "dismantle" the European Union and suggested it will block his plans to claw back powers from Brussels, reports The Telegraph.
Laurent Fabius, the French foreign minister, said that the referendum on Britain's membership of the EU is "very risky" and "quite dangerous".
He said that Britain had "joined a football club" and cannot decide "in the middle of the match that they want to play rugby".
Mr Cameron will on Friday travel to Germany where he will warn Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, that Britain will vote to leave the EU unless it agrees to meet his demands.
It follows reports that France and Germany have agreed a pact which will enable closer integration in Europe without treaty change, in a significant blow to Mr Cameron's plans.
Philip Hammond, the foreign secretary, issued an emphatic warning to EU leaders. He told BBC News : "We’re confident that our counterparts in Europe understand that if these issues are not addressed, the British people will not give their endorsement to the proposition that Britain should remain part of the European Union.”
Mr Cameron will on Friday travel to Warsaw to meet he Polish Prime Minister before concluding a two-day diplomatic offensive by meeting Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, in Berlin.