Scotland will resort to whatever means necessary to remain part of the European Union, even by possibly blocking Britain from leaving the group, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Sunday. “There are going to be deeply damaging and painful consequences of the process of trying to extricate the UK from the EU. I want to try and protect Scotland from that,” Sturgeon told BBC television. The country had voted 62% to 38% in Thursday’s referendum to remain in the EU, while the rest of the United Kingdom had voted 52% to 48% to exit the EU, which is referred to as Brexit.

In 2014, after a campaign to remain in the UK to stay part of the European bloc, Scots had voted 55% to 45% against independence from the UK, in a referendum. However, Sturgeon emphasised that the Brexit vote had given them reason to reconsider Scotland’s independence, and it is “highly likely” that another referendum may be on the cards. “The context and the circumstances have changed dramatically. The UK that Scotland voted to remain within in 2014 doesn’t exist anymore,” the Scottish National Party leader said, adding that she will find a way to directly negotiate with the EU to ensure that Scotland remained part of the bloc, Reuters reported.

Moreover, as leaders in Europe are expected to push for a quick Brexit, United States Secretary of State John Kerry is flying to Berlin on Monday, where German Chancellor Angela Merkel will host the leaders of France, Italy and the EU, to be part of discussions on the matter that has had global effects. On Tuesday, British Prime Minister David Cameron, who announced his resignation following the Brexit vote on June 23, is likely to face pressure in Brussels to immediately begin the process for the UK to exit the European bloc, which will take at least two years, AFP reported.