John Kerry, speaking in Rome said that both the EU and UK would need to manage their divorce responsibly for the sake of global markets and its people. The secretary of state will be the first to visit after the historic EU referendum. “Tomorrow we’ll go to Brussels and then on to London,” one official said. Kerry arrived in Rome on Sunday and will travel to London tomorrow to meet with Foreign Minister Philip Hammond at assure Britain of the US's continued engagement.

Kerry reiterated that the United States will maintain "a very close and special relationship with Great Britain."



He said that he and the President of the United States are "absolutely convinced that we will be able to work through this in a sensible, thoughtful way that takes the best strengths of the EU, the best strengths of the marketplace, the best interests of our national security and international security, and works to keep them moving in the right direction for our countries."