Washington – The United States and Britain are negotiating a trade deal that President Donald Trump has described as “very important and promising” in a tweet on Tuesday.

“Working on major Trade Deal with the United Kingdom. Could be very big & exciting. JOBS!” Trump tweeted.

US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and his British counterpart Liam Fox are currently leading the US-UK Trade and Investment Working Group in Washington.

The British minister delivered a speech on Monday on trade relations between the two countries under Brexit.

“I look forward to building on our already strong economic relationship and furthering our mutual goal of achieving free and fair trade and investment to create good-paying jobs on both sides of the Atlantic,” he stated.

Earlier in July, speaking on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg, Trump said his country would conclude – “very soon” – a trade deal with Britain.

However, Britain cannot theoretically conclude agreements with countries outside the European Union before they leave it, after the end of the Brexit negotiations, which is expected in 2019.

Britain sends 16 percent of its exports to the US market and 44 percent to EU countries.

Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said on Tuesday that New Zealand might be one of the first signatories to a trade agreement with London after Britain’s exit from the European Union.

Johnson, who is on his first visit to New Zealand, met Prime Minister Bill English for talks on trade, international security and Britain’s relations with its former colony.

He also stressed Britain’s keenness to conclude free trade agreements with New Zealand and other countries after completing its exit from the European Union in March 2019.