On July 1st, local time, according to the Kremlin official website,
Russian President Putin spoke by phone with French President Macron. The two heads of state had an in-depth discussion on the situation in the Middle East against the backdrop of the escalating confrontation between Iran and Israel, as well as the US strike on Iranian nuclear facilities.
This was the first call between the two since September 2022.
Putin and Macron pointed out that Russia and France, as permanent members of the UN Security Council, have a special responsibility for maintaining international peace and security, especially in the Middle East and maintaining the global nuclear non-proliferation system. Both sides emphasized the need to respect Iran’s legitimate right to use nuclear energy peacefully, Iran’s continued fulfillment of its obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, and the importance of strengthening cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency. The two heads of state agreed that the Iranian nuclear issue crisis and other conflicts in the Middle East should be resolved through political and diplomatic means. Both sides agreed to continue to maintain contact to coordinate positions.
When talking about the situation in Ukraine, Putin pointed out that the Ukrainian conflict was a direct consequence of Western policies. For years, the West has ignored Russia’s security interests, established anti-Russian strongholds in Ukraine, connived at the violation of the rights of Russian-speaking residents, and still extended the conflict by providing various modern weapons.
When it comes to the prospect of a peaceful solution, Putin pointed out that any agreement should be comprehensive and long-term, and should eliminate the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis. (Central News, Cheng Mo)