LONDON, August 1. /TASS/. Moscow is interested in a stable and predictable European Union after the United Kingdom leaves it, the Russian Embassy in London said on Wednesday commenting on UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt’s recent statement.
During his visit to Paris, Hunt told the France Inter radio station on Tuesday if the Brexit scenario ended without signing a cooperation deal between London and Brussels Russian President Vladimir Putin would be "the only person rejoicing."
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"The European Union is our important neighbor and a major partner in terms of political, business, cultural ties and just human contacts. We want it to be strong, stable and positively predictable," the diplomatic mission said in a statement.
The Russian Embassy expressed regret that the top British diplomat used such arguments during the negotiations.
Official talks between London and Brussels on conditions for the UK to leave the EU began on June 19, 2017 in Brussels. A year earlier, 51.9% of the UK citizens voted in favor of Brexit at a referendum.
The talks on Brexit should last until this November and then the European Parliament and Westminster should approve the deal. Brexit will take place on March 29, 2019 and then a transition period should begin and last until December 31, 2020.