Macron has 'substantial' phone call with Putin, their first direct talks since September 2022

Published connected 01/07/2025 - 21:00 GMT+2•Updated 21:13

French President Emmanuel Macron held his first telephone telephone successful 3 years pinch his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin connected Tuesday, a speech nan Kremlin called "substantial."

Macron's office, nan Élysée Palace, said successful a connection that nan call, their first since September 2022, lasted 2 hours and that Macron had called for a ceasefire successful Ukraine and nan opening of negotiations to extremity nan conflict.

Putin reiterated his position to Macron that nan warfare successful Ukraine was "a nonstop consequence of nan West's policy," which he said had "ignored Russia's information interests."

Any bid statement betwixt Moscow and Kyiv should see a "comprehensive and semipermanent character" and beryllium based connected "new territorial realities," nan Kremlin quoted Putin arsenic saying.

Putin has antecedently said Ukraine must judge Russia's annexation of swathes of its territory arsenic portion of immoderate bid deal.

Macron has said only Ukraine should determine connected whether aliases not to cede territory.

During nan call, Macron's agency said "the president emphasised France's unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity."

Macron and Putin purpose to proceed their discussions connected Ukraine and Iran, nan Élysée Palace said.

Macron and Putin held regular discussions astir nan commencement of Russia's penetration of Ukraine, with Macron visiting Putin successful Russia successful February 2022, but speech yet stalled.

Iran's atomic ambitions

Meanwhile, nan Kremlin property service, quoting Putin, said it was basal to respect Iran's correct to nan serene improvement of its atomic programme arsenic good arsenic continued compliance pinch its obligations nether nan atomic non-proliferation treaty.

Macron reportedly besides stressed nan request for Iran to cooperate afloat pinch nan International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), his agency said.

Iran's parliament approved a measure past month suspending practice pinch nan UN atomic watchdog aft Israel and nan United States bombed 3 of Iran's atomic sites, aiming to forestall Tehran from acquiring a atomic weapon.

Iran has maintained it is not seeking to create atomic weapons and that its programme is civilian and serene successful nature.

Macron "expressed his determination to activity a negotiated solution that would lead to a lasting and rigorous solution of nan atomic issue, nan mobility of Iran's missiles, and its domiciled successful nan region," his agency said, adding that nan 2 leaders had decided to coordinate efforts.