MOSCOW, March 23. /TASS/. France’s National Front leader and presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen is due to visit Russia on Friday, Chairman of Russia’s State Duma International Affairs Committee Leonid Slutsky told reporters.

The visit will be held "as part of traditionally close cooperation between State Duma deputies and France’s political circles," Slutsky said. The French politician will arrive at the personal invitation of Slutsky, who is also a coordinator of a group of lawmakers for ties with the French parliament.

"Marine Le Pen will take part in the session of the International Affairs Committee and also meet with the State Duma’s leadership. A discussion will be held on vital issues of the international agenda such as war on terror and also some issues of the Russian-French cooperation," he said.

Earlier this week, an opinion poll ahead of the French presidential election put Emmanuel Macron, founder of the political movement "En Marche!", and Marine Le Pen as favorites in the first round of the election with 25.5% and 25% of the electoral vote accordingly.

The third in the trio of frontrunners is nominee of the Republicans Francios Fillon (17.5%), an opinion poll by Elabe pollster suggested. Despite scandals haunting him, the former prime minister remains a serious rival for the other two favorites.