Macron talks to Putin by phone: first time since 2022 (updated)
French President Emmanuel Macron held a phone conversation with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin for the first time since 2022. They discussed, among other topics, Russia’s war against Ukraine.
This was reported by the Kremlin, cited by Russian media and relayed by Censor.NET.
During the call, Putin stated that Russia’s war against Ukraine is a "direct consequence of Western states’ policies."
According to the dictator, the West "has for many years been building an anti-Russian foothold on Ukrainian territory" and is now "prolonging the hostilities."
They also discussed the situation in the Middle East in the context of the Israel-Iran conflict and U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
"Putin told Macron that the resolution in Ukraine must be comprehensive, address root causes, and be based on realities on the ground," the Kremlin added.
This marks the first publicly known contact between Macron and Putin since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
No official information has been released by the French side.
According to BFM TV citing the Élysée Palace, the phone conversation between Macron and Putin lasted over two hours. The parties discussed the Russia-Ukraine war and Iran’s nuclear program.
"He called for the swiftest possible ceasefire and the start of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to achieve a strong and lasting resolution to the conflict," the Élysée Palace added.
