Theresa May to meet Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande in first foreign trip as Prime Minister

'This will be an opportunity to discuss how the UK and Germany can work together as the UK prepares to leave the EU'

Ms May will meet Ms Merkel on Wednesday in Berlin (Merkel-May)

Theresa May is set to hold her first face-to-face meetings with European leaders as Prime Minister when she travels to Berlin and Paris later this week.

While it is usual for incoming premiers to make early visits to establish personal links with key European leaders, this week's trip will be highly charged by the outcome of the European Union referendum and the need to shape a new relationship between the UK and its neighbours on the continent.

Shortly after Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday she will travel to Berlin to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel and on Thursday will meet President François Hollande at the Élysée Palace.

A Downing Street spokeswoman said: “The Prime Minister will make her first overseas visits this week.

“On Wednesday, following Prime Minister's Questions, she will travel to Berlin for a bilateral meeting and a working dinner with Chancellor Merkel. This will be an opportunity to discuss the bilateral relationship, co-operation on a range of global challenges, and of course how the UK and Germany can work together as the UK prepares to leave the EU.

“Then on Thursday, the Prime Minister will visit France for a bilateral meeting with President Hollande at the Élysée. The talks are likely to cover similar issues as those in Berlin, as well as Thursday's attack in Nice and counter-terrorism co-operation.”

It comes after Ms May met with Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP First Minister, for talks in Edinburgh last week. After a 45-minute meeting, Ms May ruled out a second referendum on Scottish independence, which Ms Sturgeon has described as “highly likely” after Scots voted to remain in the EU while the UK as a whole voted for Brexit.

“As far as I’m concerned, the Scottish people have had their vote, they voted in 2014 and a very clear message came through. Both the United Kingdom and the Scottish Government said they would abide by that,” Ms May said.

And on Monday the Prime Minister was greeted by Mr Jones on the Senedd steps before heading into his office to discuss post-Brexit Britain and the uncertainty surrounding Tata's steelworks in Port Talbot.

Ms May said: “The Union is very important to me, and I'm pleased to visit Wales so early in my premiership. I've had a very constructive meeting with the First Minister and we've been talking about a number of issues – including the United Kingdom leaving the EU.

"What I want to see is the best possible deal for the whole of the United Kingdom, and I want the Welsh Government to be involved in the discussions. That's why I am here."