FREE now and never miss the top politics stories again. SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up fornow and never miss the top politics stories again. We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

After the shock Brexit victory in 2016, eurosceptic movements have grown across the EU with Finland now the latest country to lash out at Brussels. Today the country’s Europe minister said the EU had responded terribly to Brexit, claiming its push for more Europe was the exact opposite of what needed to be done. And with the UK set to leave a huge hole in the EU’s budget, Sampo Terho said it would be “unbearable” if other countries were forced to make up the loss.

GETTY Finland has issued a dire warning to the European Union

Brexit Negotiations: Britain's sternest enemies Tue, April 4, 2017 According to a new index, the EU27 countries fall into three groups: hard-core, hard and soft. These are the countries with the highest scores which indicate a fairly strong opposition to Britain’s position Play slideshow AFP/Getty Images 1 of 7 France has the highest score in the index at 32.5

He told the Telegraph: “When the EU becomes smaller the budget should become smaller. That’s all there is to it. “If that gap were to be filled with other countries’ payments, I see that as an unbearable solution.” He said Brexit meant the EU should take a step back and reconsider its growing influence - not push for a United States of Europe, which Mr Terho said was the “absolutely wrong conclusion”.

GETTY Finland's Europe minister has warned the EU it is approaching Brexit the wrong way

It comes as the EU comes to terms with the huge budget gap sparked by the UK’s departure - with four countries in particular nursing a much larger bill than the rest. Brexit will open up a vast €10.2billion (£8.99bn) hole in the EU’s coffers when the UK permanently quits the bloc in 2021 with Austria, Sweden, the Netherlands and Germany facing a sharp increase. The new research, published by the European Parliament, will spark genuine fear in Brussels as three of the four nations - Austria, Sweden and the Netherlands - already have very large and growing Eurosceptic populations.

GETTY Brexit has sent shockwaves throughout the EU's 27 other member states