BRUSSELS, June 24. /TASS/. The European Union expects the United Kingdom to give effect to its decision to leave the bloc as soon as possible, top EU leaders said in a joint statement on Friday.

"We now expect the United Kingdom government to give effect to this decision of the British people as soon as possible, however painful that process may be. Any delay would unnecessarily prolong uncertainty," says the statement, signed by EU Council President Donald Tusk, EU Parliament President Martin Schulz, EU Council Presidency holder and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

"As agreed, the ‘New Settlement for the United Kingdom within the European Union,’ reached at the European Council on 18-19 February 2016, will now not take effect and ceases to exist. There will be no renegotiation," the EU leaders 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.