ST. PETERSBURG, June 2. /TASS/. The UK’s withdrawal from the EU will strengthen Germany’s position there, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the European Union Vladimir Chizhov said today during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

"The impending Brexit unintentionally gives a major boost to German ‘hegemony’ within the EU. The UK’s withdrawal from the EU - which is its third economy - will strengthen Germany’s position there," the diplomat stated on Russia24 TV channel live.

As he put it, the possibility of Germany’s position strengthening there arouses concern in France as well.

"Still, it [France - TASS] consoles itself with the fact that only one nuclear state (France - TASS) will remain within the EU," Chizhov joked.

The referendum on the UK’s membership in the EU was held on June 23 last year, in which 51.9% voted in favor of leaving the European Union.

On March 29, 2017, UK Prime Minister Theresa May began the two-year countdown to Brexit.