World Reacts as UK Goodbyes the European Union

Local Editor

The United States is reacting cautiously to the decision by British voters to leave the European Union in a historic referendum.

In this regard, the White House said in a statement that President Barack Obama has been briefed on the incoming returns in the UK referendum, and he will continue to be updated by his team "as the situation warrants."

"We expect the President will have an opportunity to speak to Prime Minister Cameron over the course of the next day, and we will release further comment as soon as appropriate," the American statement added.

Meanwhile, the European Union president Donald Tusk said on Friday that the bloc is determined to stay unified after Britain voted to leave; however, he warned against "hysterical" reactions.

"Today on behalf of the 27 leaders, I can say that we are determined to keep our unity as 27," Tusk told reporters in Brussels.

"It is a historic moment but for sure not a moment for hysterical reactions."

In parallel, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi Friday called for the European Union to change direction following Britain's vote to leave the bloc.

"We have to change it to make it more human and more just, but Europe is our home, it's our future," Renzi said in a tweet.

For his part, the Czech PM Bohuslav Sobotka said Friday that Britain's departure from the EU was not the end of the bloc but called for a "more flexible, less bureaucratic EU."

"Despite the disappointment many of us feel... we must realize that this is not the end of the world and it's absolutely not the end of the EU," Sobotka said on Facebook.

In the same respect, Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said that relationship with Britain will stay "very strong and intimate," adding he was confident negotiations over a free-trade deal with the EU would not be jeopardized by the Brexit vote.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team