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LONDON (AP) 鈥� The leaders of France and Britain are making tag-team visits to Washington this week as Europe attempts to persuade President Donald Trump not to abandon Ukraine in pursuit of a peace deal in the three-year-old war with Russia.

There is an element of good cop, bad cop in efforts by U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron to salvage American support for Kyiv.

Starmer, reluctant to openly confront Trump, speaks of being a bridge between Europe and the U.S. administration. Macron has more strongly criticized Trump鈥檚 recent statements that echo Russia鈥檚 narrative and American moves to negotiate with Moscow while sidelining Ukraine.

Both leaders stress Ukraine’s voice and sovereignty must be at the center of any peace talks.

The French president warned Trump against appearing 鈥渨eak in the face of President Putin.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 not you, it鈥檚 not your trademark, it鈥檚 not in your interest,鈥� said Macron, who is due at the White House on Monday, the third anniversary of Russia鈥檚 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Starmer is set to follow on Thursday.

Double-track diplomacy

The trips come after Macron called a crisis meeting of European leaders in Paris last week to discuss the continent鈥檚 next steps 鈥� and after Trump on Friday claimed Macron and Starmer 鈥渉aven鈥檛 done anything鈥� over the past three years to end the war.

The centrist French leader, known for his bold diplomatic moves, says he鈥檒l seek to persuade Trump that American and European interests are the same, telling him: 鈥淚f you let Russia take over Ukraine, it would be unstoppable.鈥�

Starmer, a cautious center-left politician, has avoided directly contradicting Trump or criticizing his actions. The U.K. joined the U.S. in refusing to sign a joint declaration at an Artificial Intelligence summit hosted by Macron in Paris this month in what was seen as an attempt to curry favor with Washington.

But the prime minister has reaffirmed Britain鈥檚 support for Ukraine, rejecting Trump鈥檚 assertion that Zelenskyy is a 鈥渄ictator鈥� and the president’s suggestion that Kyiv started the war, which erupted when Russia invaded its neighbor on Feb. 24, 2022.

Starmer spoke to Zelenskyy on Saturday, expressing 鈥渢he U.K.鈥檚 ironclad support for Ukraine and commitment to securing a just and enduring peace.鈥� He said he would stress 鈥渟afeguarding Ukraine鈥檚 sovereignty鈥� when he speaks to Trump in Washington.

Some historians say the idea that Britain can be a transatlantic bridge is built on shaky foundations.

鈥淭he 鈥榮pecial relationship鈥� has always been more important from the British end,鈥� said Oxford University history professor Margaret MacMillan. 鈥淲hen it comes right down to it, great powers tend to do what suits them.鈥�

She said the bottom line for Macron and Starmer 鈥渋s they want the U.S. to stay involved in Europe. Whether they can achieve that is another matter.鈥�

Overcoming U.S. reluctance

Macron and Starmer will say in Washington that Ukraine must be at the table for negotiations on its future. They hope to get U.S. support for an emerging plan to have Europe deploy troops in a 鈥渞eassurance force鈥� to help guarantee Ukraine鈥檚 future security. Starmer has stressed that the plan will only work if there is a U.S. 鈥渂ackstop,鈥� likely in the form of American air power, to deter Russia from attacking again.

Trump may well be skeptical. He has long questioned the value of NATO and complained that the U.S. provides security to European countries that don鈥檛 pull their weight.

Both Macron and Starmer appear ready to answer Trump鈥檚 call to boost defense spending. France spends just over 2% of its gross domestic product on the military, and Macron said last week that Europeans 鈥渕ust increase our war effort.鈥�

Britain spends 2.3% of gross domestic product on defense, and Starmer has said that will rise to 2.5%. He may put a date for reaching that target during his Washington trip.

Jamie Shea, a retired senior NATO official, said Starmer should try to appeal to Trump鈥檚 keen sense of his place in history.

鈥淭he main argument Starmer can put will be to say, 鈥楳r. President this is going to be your peace agreement. You did it and for better or worse you will be associated with it forever. And do you want to risk a failure?鈥欌�� Shea said.

Talking trade and tariffs

Trade 鈥� and an effort to avoid U.S.-imposed tariffs 鈥� will also be on the agenda for both Macron and Starmer.

Trump has ordered reciprocal import taxes on America鈥檚 trading partners, slapped 10% tariffs on China; effectively raised U.S. taxes on foreign steel and aluminum; and threatened, then delayed for 30 days, 25% taxes on goods from Canada and Mexico.

U.K. officials hope Britain鈥檚 departure from the European Union 鈥� a move Trump has praised 鈥� and relatively balanced trade with the U.S. will help it avoid harsh tariffs.

Starmer also wants to raise U.K. opposition to Chagos Islands, an Indian Ocean archipelago that鈥檚 home to a strategic U.S. military base.

If all else fails, Britain can deploy ceremonial soft power of royalty. The Daily Telegraph reported that Starmer will present Trump with an invitation from King Charles III for a state visit replete with royal pomp and pageantry.

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Corbet reported from Paris.