Thread: Barack Obama claims EU is 'one of the greatest achievements of modern times'

Obama's rose-tinted glasses: After enraging Brexit campaigners in Britain, Obama heads to Germany and endorses Angela Merkel's decision to let in a million migrants

President infuriated Vote Leave campaign with EU endorsement in London

Obama today said the 'entire world' needed a 'united Europe' in a speech

He will meet with senior EU leaders at a G5 meeting in Hannover later

Today's speech came after a visit to the the Hannover tech trade fair

By TIM SCULTHORPE, MAILONLINE DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR PUBLISHED: 10:28 GMT, 25 April 2016 | UPDATED: 14:58 GMT, 25 April 2016

Barack Obama today declared the European Union is one of the 'greatest achievements of modern times' as he continued his blitz against Brexit.

Speaking in Germany on the latest leg of his farewell tour, the US President praised the EU for ending centuries of war in Europe.

And he claimed the 'entire world' needs a 'united Europe' days after making a forceful case against Brexit while on a visit to London.

Mr Obama's repeated interventions on the referendum have infuriated campaigners who want Britain to vote to leave the European Union on June 23.

Mr Obama said it was a 'brave new world' after testing virtual reality headsets at the Hannover trade fair alongside
German Chancellor Angela Merkel


Mrs Merkel is hosting the US President in Germany on the latest leg of his farewell tour. Mr Obama has used
the visits as an opportunity to strongly endorse continued British membership of the EU

In a speech at the Hannover trade fair, Mr Obama said: 'The United States and the entire world needs a strong and prosperous and democratic and united Europe.'

Obama's plea in a speech capping a week-long trip came days after he made a forceful argument against Great Britain leaving the European Union.

The possibility of Britain leaving the EU, along with the terrorist threat and tensions among nations grappling with the influx of refugees fleeing Syria and other nations, have raised questions about the strength of European Unity.

In remarks set to infuriate some in Germany, Mr Obama praised Mrs Merkel's decision to welcome migrants and refugees.

He said: 'We can't turn our backs on fellow human beings who are here now and need our help now.

Mr Obama said the way Europe handles its strains amount to a 'defining moment.'

'What happens on this continent has consequences for people around the globe,' he said.

The President used the VR headset to create graphics which he could interact with his hands at the tech fair in
Hannover


Mrs Merkel also tested the devices, which were on display alongside a string of other gadgets

Mr Obama's speech comes ahead of a G5 meeting set to be joined by David Cameron later today.

Earlier, he toured the Hannover trade fair with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to view high-tech inventions and meet developers.

The leaders learned about minicomputers that send data from a car to the cloud, a sensor that mimics a gecko's feet to pick up objects and ultra-light prosthetics created for para-Olympian cyclists.

They also saw an electric vehicle battery charger that maker Phoenix Contact says can give a car battery 100 kilometers worth of charge in just five minutes.

And Mr Obama has tried on virtual reality glasses made with what developer Ifm Stiftung dubs the smallest 3D camera in the world.

With the glasses on his face and cameras snapping photos, Obama reached out as if shaking an invisible hand.

He said: 'It's a brave new world.'

Mrs Merkel and French President Francois Hollande shared their usual warm greetings as the G5 leaders gathered at the Herrenhausen Palace in Hanover

David Cameron, left, and Italian premier Matteo Renzi, right, were also personally greeted by Mrs Merkel
on the steps of the palace

Speaking in London on Friday, Mr Obama defended his right to comment on Britain's June 23 poll despite claims from Leave campaigners that he was being 'hypocritical' and had 'double standards'.

The President insisted his remarks, which have been long planned by Mr Cameron's In campaign, were not a 'threat' to Britain.

Mr Obama said as a 'friend' of Britain he had to be 'honest' about the impact of a Brexit vote.

And he insisted that if Out campaigners would continue to be 'ascribing actions' of the US after Brexit, they should hear from the President.

He said: 'And on that matter, for example, I think it's fair to say that maybe some point down the line there might be a UK-US trade agreement, but it's not going to happen any time soon because our focus is in negotiating with a big bloc, the European Union, to get a trade agreement done.

'The UK is going to be in the back of the queue.'

US President Barack Obama used a speech in Germany, pictured, to warn the 'entire world' needs a 'united
Europe' in his latest intervention on Britain's referendum

Barack Obama claims EU is 'one of the greatest achievements of modern times' | Daily Mail Online

"He said: 'We can't turn our backs on fellow human beings who are here now and need our help now."

He has had NO problem turning his back on our Veteran's, our Seniors, our Homeless! Has turned his back on our Border Patrol, our military and our Police Officers. Has turned his back on black youth in our country with open borders and flying in thousands of 3rd world uneducated people taking jobs and collapsing our welfare programs.

Has turned his back on hard working taxpayers...with his waste, fraud and abuse of our money. Had turned HIS back on every family who has lost a loved one to ILLEGAL aliens that have murdered our citizens and that continue to flood our border.

Has turned his back on US workers with his "fast track" trade deals! The list is long. No refugees...no asylum from anywhere. This is an outdated policy and needs to be terminated. Time to send in a team of professionals with a "Comprehensive Plan for Reform" to these 3rd world barbaric countries...or NO help, no more aid, no more oatmeal. None. We are not the dumping ground for 3 billion people.

Time for these people to have mandatory population control, educated themselves and become productive members of society...not take from others.