Trump tells UK’s Boris Johnson he hopes they meet ‘in the near future’

President Trump on Monday spoke by phone with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and told the new U.K. leader he hoped to meet with him “in the near future.”

The two leaders discussed trade, global security and other issues, according to a White House readout of the call. Trump expressed appreciation for the U.K.’s partnership with the U.S. and told Johnson he “looks forward to meeting with him personally in the near future.”

{mosads}That meeting is likely to take place at the Group of Seven (G-7) summit in France later this month.

Trump spoke with Johnson from his golf club in Bedminster, N.J., where he is spending the week. The president has no public events scheduled for Monday.

The two men have spoken several times since Johnson became prime minister late last month, replacing Theresa May.

Trump has spoken fondly of Johnson, who was once critical of the president and has been a staunch advocate of Brexit.

“He’s a friend of mine. I think we’re going to have a great relationship. And Boris is going to be a great prime minister,” Trump said in late July. “I predict he will be a great prime minister. He has what it takes. They needed him for a long time.”

The president has expressed a desire to reach a bilateral trade agreement with the U.K., but the pact will be dependent on whether the country follows through on Brexit.

Johnson has pledged to adhere to an Oct. 31 deadline to follow through on the 2016 vote by U.K. residents to leave the European Union.