First call between Putin and Macron in nearly 3 years

Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron held their first phone call in nearly 3 years. A statement from the Kremlin Press Service noted, "Putin recalled that the conflict in Ukraine is a direct result of the policies of Western states, which for many years ignored Russia's security interests, created an outpost against Russia in Ukraine, and turned a blind eye to the violation of the rights of the Russian-speaking population."

According to the statement, Putin stated that "Western countries are pursuing a line aimed at prolonging the conflict by supporting Ukraine with various modern weapons." Putin reaffirmed his "fundamental approaches regarding potential agreements, which should be comprehensive and long-term in nature, providing for the elimination of the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis and being based on new territorial realities."

DIPLOMACY PROPOSED FOR RESOLVING CONFLICTS

The statement, which included information that the leaders discussed the situation in the Middle East within the framework of the conflict between Iran and Israel and US attacks on Iranian targets, said, "They drew attention to the importance of respecting Iran's right to peaceful nuclear energy and fulfilling its obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, including cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Putin and Macron expressed that the crisis around Iran and other conflicts in the region should be resolved through diplomacy. The leaders expressed the view that the resolution of the crisis surrounding Iran's nuclear program and other disputes in the Middle East must be achieved solely through political and diplomatic means."

REMINDER OF SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY

The statement, which noted that Putin and Macron agreed to continue contacts for a solution in the Middle East, said, "They also emphasized that Russia and France, as permanent members of the UN Security Council, have a special responsibility in maintaining peace and security. Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron stated that Russia and France, as permanent members of the UN Security Council, have a special responsibility in maintaining peace and security, including in the Middle East region, as well as in preserving the global nuclear non-proliferation regime."

LAST MEETING TOOK PLACE ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2022

According to information obtained from the Kremlin, the last conversation between Putin and Macron took place on September 11, 2022. The topics of that meeting were the situation around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the bombardment of civilian targets in Donbas by Ukrainian soldiers, and the future of the grain deal.