US President Barack Obama said the U.S. respects Britain’s decision to leave the European Union, an outcome he had personally campaigned against during a trip to London in April, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.

Mr. Obama, in a written statement released early Friday morning, sought to calm rattled financial markets and blunt any economic anxiety by saying the “special relationship” between the U.S. and U.K. is “enduring” and stressing the importance of the EU for stability and the global economy.

“The people of the United Kingdom have spoken, and we respect their decision,” Mr. Obama said. “The United Kingdom and the European Union will remain indispensable partners of the United States even as they begin negotiating their ongoing relationship to ensure continued stability, security, and prosperity for Europe, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the world.”

He said the relationship with the U.K., as well as its membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, “remains a vital cornerstone” of American security and economic policy.

Mr. Obama made no mention of British Prime Minister David Cameron or his decision to step down, but the White House said Mr. Obama expects to speak with Mr. Cameron Friday. The president also didn’t reference the economic anxieties that have rippled through the financial markets.

Source: MENA