Weakness on Russia empowers Iran, Macron to tell Trump

French President Emmanuel Macron said he will travel to Washington to convince US President Donald Trump that showing weakness toward Russian President Vladimir Putin would make it harder to confront China and Iran.

"I'm going to tell (Trump), basically, 'You can't be weak in the face of President Putin...How can you then be credible in the face of China?" Macron said during a social media Q&A on Thursday.

"And you, who wants Iran not to have nuclear weapons, you can't be weak with someone (Putin) who is helping (Iran) acquire it," he added.

Macron's scheduled visit to Washington was confirmed by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

"Next Monday, the president will host France's President Emmanuel Macron, and on Thursday the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will visit the White House as well," she told reporters.

Last month, Macron warned that Iran's nuclear program is nearing the point of no return, stressing the need for Paris to engage in strategic discussions with Trump's administration about Tehran.

Macron also mentioned Iran's ballistic missiles and support for Russia, labeling them threats to Europe.

“(Iran's) ballistic missile program threatens European soil and our interests. Iran is already involved in Russia's war against Ukraine through clear and fully identified military support,” he said.

President Trump's recent remarks on the war in Ukraine and the country's president, Volodymyr Zelensky has troubled European powers who seek US support in dealing with what they see as a growing Russian threat.