Emmanuel Macron has had his first video conference contact with Vladimir Putin since 2022. The French president has emphasized his "unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine" and has called on the Russian president for "a ceasefire as soon as possible" and "the start of negotiations for a solid and lasting solution to the conflict," according to a statement from the Elysee. The conversation lasted just over two hours.
Putin, for his part, has responded that any peace agreement with Ukraine must be "long-term", according to the Kremlin, which has stressed that the conflict is "a direct consequence of the policies of Western countries."
The Russian president has stated that the West "has ignored Russia's security interests for many years, has fostered an anti-Russian position in Ukraine, and tolerated violations of the rights of Russian-speaking residents." Putin has also blamed Western powers for "implementing a policy aimed at prolonging hostilities by supplying modern weapons to the Kiev regime."
Additionally, he has apparently dismissed the request for a temporary ceasefire and has warned that the solution to the war in Ukraine must be "comprehensive and long-term" and must consider "the elimination of the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis and be based on new territorial realities."
This is, in any case, the first contact in over three years between both leaders, who had intense communication in the lead-up to the conflict, culminating in Macron's trip to Moscow and the meeting on February 7, 2022, at the immense oval white table where Putin received (and humiliated) after the pandemic.
The two presidents have also discussed the Iran conflict and have committed to "coordinate their efforts and speak soon to follow up on this issue together." They have agreed that the Middle East crisis must be resolved "diplomatically". The Kremlin has reiterated that Iran has the "right" to develop a peaceful nuclear program.