Liam Fox, Secretary of State for International Trade, arrives in Downing Street for a cabinet meeting, in central London, Britain June 13, 2017. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain’s International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said he would meet U.S. trade leaders in Washington on Sunday to talk about the possibility of signing a free trade deal between the two countries soon after Britain leaves the European Union.

“This visit will help lay the groundwork for a potential future UK-US free trade agreement and the practical steps we can take now in order to enable companies in both countries to trade and do business with one another more easily,” Fox said in a statement ahead of his two-day visit.

Britain starts formal Brexit talks with the other 27 EU countries on Monday, and is due to leave the bloc in March 2019.

Fox will meet U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, as well as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, trade policy organizations and business representatives.