Washington: The leaders of the United Kingdom and France are set to visit Washington next week for high-level discussions concerning the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, as the United States administration seeks a diplomatic resolution.

According to Anadolu Agency, French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled for talks with US President Donald Trump, as confirmed by France's Minister for European Affairs, Benjamin Haddad, on Thursday. Macron's visit is particularly significant as the Trump administration engages directly with Russia, heightening concerns among European allies. "He will come to represent the voice of Europeans and assert that Ukraine's future cannot be decided without them," Haddad told the French broadcaster LCI.

President Trump hinted at the forthcoming visit on Wednesday, indicating that Macron might arrive "very soon, maybe Monday." The upcoming meeting follows a previous encounter between Macron and Trump in December at the Elysee Palace, where they held a trilateral discussion with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The ongoing war in Ukraine is expected to be a focal point of the talks in Washington, especially considering the US's recent diplomatic overtures towards Moscow. On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Saudi Arabia, where they reportedly agreed to further negotiations on Ukraine that exclude both Kyiv and European nations.

In addition to Macron's visit, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is also scheduled to meet with President Trump at the White House next week. This was confirmed by US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz during an interview with Fox News. The meetings are part of the Trump administration's efforts to broker a resolution to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, tensions between Washington and Kyiv continue to escalate, highlighted by President Trump's remarks on Wednesday referring to President Zelenskyy as a "dictator without an election."