Mr. Macron had a phone call with Mr. Putin after 3 years
The phone call lasted more than 2 hours between President Macron and President Putin, discussing Ukraine and Middle East issues.
According to RIA Novosti, Russian President Vladimir Putin had a phone call with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron for the first time in nearly three years.
"President Vladimir Putin's phone call with Emmanuel Macron was very meaningful," the Kremlin press service reported on July 1.
Regarding the conflict in Ukraine, President Putin reiterated that it is a direct consequence of Western policy.
“Western countries have for many years ignored Russia’s security interests, created an anti-Russian bridgehead in Ukraine, continue to violate the rights of Russian-speaking residents and are now leading a protracted line of hostilities, pushing Kiev with various types of modern weapons,” President Putin said.
According to Mr. Putin, Russia affirms a principled approach to possible agreements on resolving the Ukrainian conflict, and they must be long-term solutions, eliminating root causes and based on reality.
The French and Russian leaders also discussed the confrontation between Iran and Israel, as well as US attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities.
President Putin and the President of France noted the responsibility of Russia and France for maintaining peace in the Middle East and for upholding the nuclear non-proliferation regime. They stressed the importance of respecting Tehran's legitimate right to peaceful nuclear energy and continuing to fulfill its international obligations, including cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The leaders said the crisis over Iran’s program should be resolved politically and diplomatically. Moscow and Paris continued to communicate to coordinate positions on the situation in the Middle East.
The Elysee Palace added that President Macron plans to continue negotiations with the Russian leader. According to RTL radio, the conversation lasted more than 2 hours.
The world welcomes the conversation between the Russian and French leaders, especially as it takes place at the highest level, the UN Secretary-General's representative said.
The last time President Putin and President Macron spoke by phone was on September 11, 2022. The leaders had not been in contact for 1024 days.
