Russian President Putin had a phone conversation with French President Macron on the 1st, with both sides expressing support for resolving the Iranian nuclear issue through diplomatic means.
This was the first phone call between the two leaders in nearly three years. The last conversation between the two leaders took place on September 11, 2022, more than half a year after the escalation of the Ukraine crisis.
The Kremlin said that the two leaders agreed on supporting only political and diplomatic means to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue and other conflicts in the Middle East region. They emphasized that Iran’s legitimate rights to peaceful use of nuclear energy should be respected, and that Iran should continue to fulfill its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, including cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
When discussing the prospects for a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine crisis, Putin stressed that Russia adheres to a basic position for possible consensus, and that any consensus should be comprehensive and long-term, aiming to eliminate the root causes of the Ukraine crisis.
Putin pointed out that the Ukraine crisis is a direct consequence of Western countries' policies, and that for many years, Western countries ignored Russia’s security interests and are now prolonging hostilities by providing Ukraine with various modern weapons.
The French presidential palace, the Élysée, said in a news release that Macron and Putin spoke for over two hours.
The Élysée said Macron called for Ukraine and Russia to quickly reach a ceasefire agreement and start negotiations to find a solid and lasting solution.