British Prime Minister Theresa May said Sunday she plans to discuss free trade and the importance of the Nato military alliance when she becomes the first foreign leader to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington. The White House’s invitation for May to meet with Trump on Friday was seen in Britain as affirmation that Trump values the vaunted “special relationship” between the United States and its longtime ally across the Atlantic. Britain sees a future trade agreement with the United States as vital as the country prepares to leave the European Union. European leaders worry about a watering down of the Nato role given the increasingly aggressive actions by Russia in recent years. The prime minister did not directly answer questions about whether she will use Friday’s meeting to challenge Trump over derogatory comments he has made about women.

Source: Hindustan Times January 22, 2017 12:56 UTC