LONDON, Dec 21 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday that there were still problems in Brexit trade talks and that Britain would thrive without a deal.

Johnson said he spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron about border issues, but not about Brexit.

"The position is unchanged: there are problems," Johnson told a news conference when asked if there would be a trade deal. "WTO terms would be more than satisfactory for the UK. And we can certainly cope."

"Its vital that everybody understands that the UK has got to be able to control its own laws completely and also that we've got to be able to control our own fisheries," he said. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge and Kate Holton Editing by William Schomberg)