A Downing Street spokesperson said:

The Prime Minister called the Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni this evening to congratulate him on his appointment.

They agreed that while the UK was leaving the EU we would not be leaving Europe, and the strong bilateral relationship between the UK and Italy would continue.

The Prime Minister said we looked forward to working with Italy ahead of them joining the UN Security Council and chairing the G7 in 2017.

They concluded by saying they looked forward to meeting tomorrow at the European Council in Brussels.