EU’s founding members want UK to leave bloc urgently

Ministers from Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands and Luxembourg held a meeting on June 25 in Berlin.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said London must not wait to start the procedure of extracting itself from the EU. Steinmeier: “I am confident that these countries can also send a message that we won't let anyone take Europe from us.”

France’s foreign minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, said it would not be acceptable for Britain to play a "cat and mouse" game.

Germany also recommended making the UK an associated partner country following Brexit.