Britain's Prime Minister May to visit Trump in Washington

     

The British Embassy in Washington confirmed the visit to CNN, saying that the leaders would also discuss relations with Russia and the global fight against terrorism.

Boosting trade with the United States will be high on May's agenda. The prime minister said in a speech Tuesday that Britain would be looking to improve trade with countries outside the European Union once the country leaves the regional bloc.

May made clear Tuesday that the country would not remain part of the EU's single market and customs union. The EU single market is essentially a free-trade zone allowing the free movement of people, goods, services and capital.

Britain voted to withdraw from the union in its "Brexit" referendum in June last year, raising concerns over whether Britain's economy will prosper outside the single market.

The US is already Britain's second-largest trading partner by country, after Germany. Trade between both countries is already more than 150 billion pounds ($186 billion), and the US is the single biggest source of inward investment to the UK, the embassy said.

May has also been invited to become the first serving foreign head of state to address the annual congressional Republican retreat, the British Embassy said. The party will map out its 2017 vision at the event, held Thursday in Philadelphia.

British Prime Minister Theresa May is set to visit US President Donald Trump in Washington on Friday, making her the first foreign leader to meet with the newly inaugurated president.

Speaking in a televised interview with the BBC's Andrew Marr, May said she would discuss the countries' future trade relations, the importance of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Syrian conflict.

"What I think is important is that when I sit down, I will talk about how I can build on this special relationship. He has already said to me that he wants to see a very strong relationship between the US and the UK in the future," May said.