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Obama says he respects UK people’s decision to leave EU

According to the US leader, the United Kingdom and the European Union will remain indispensable partners of the United States even as they begin negotiating their ongoing relationship

US President Barack Obama AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais

US President Barack Obama

© AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais

WASHINGTON, June 24. /TASS/. The United States respects Great Britain’s decision to leave the European Union, President Barack Obama said on Friday.

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"The people of the United Kingdom have spoken, and we respect their decision," Obama said. "The United Kingdom and the European Union will remain indispensable partners of the United States even as they begin negotiating their ongoing relationship to ensure continued stability, security, and prosperity for Europe, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the world."

Meanwhile, the chairman of the State Duma’s international affairs committee, Alexey Pushkov, has said the outcome of Britain’s referendum on the country’s future membership of the European Union is a personal setback for US President Barack Obama.

"It’s wrong to put one’s own blame at somebody else’s door. Russia has nothing to do with it. It is a defeat of Brexit opponents. And Barack Obama’s personal failure," Pushkov tweeted. He described the outcome of the voting as a political earthquake having far-reaching consequences.

"We will be living in a different Europe starting from 24.06.16," Pushkov said.

Some 52% of UK citizens (17.41 million people) voted on Thursday for leaving the European Union, while 48% (16.14 million) were in favor of remaining part of the bloc.

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