MOSCOW/PARIS - Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke by phone on Monday for the first time since 2022, Russian state news agency TASS reported, citing a Kremlin statement. According to both sides, the conversation focused on the situation in Ukraine and developments in the Middle East. The Kremlin described the talks as "substantive" and stressed that Russia is ready for diplomatic solutions to the current conflicts as long as they take into account Russian interests. "The presidents discussed the current situation in Ukraine, where Putin presented Russian proposals for a peaceful solution," the presidential office in Moscow said.
A different emphasis was heard from Paris. According to Reuters, during the call Macron called on the Russian president for an "immediate ceasefire" in Ukraine and stressed the need to respect international law. The French side also said Macron appealed to Russia to help reduce tensions in the Middle East. The talks come at a time of continued Russian invasion of Ukraine and rising tensions in Gaza and Lebanon. This is the first direct contact between the two statesmen since the start of the war in Ukraine, when Franco-Russian relations were frozen. Political analysts see the call as an effort by Paris to reopen diplomatic channels towards Moscow, despite strained relations between Russia and Western states. However, it is not yet clear whether the conversation will lead to any concrete outcome.
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