French president flexes diplomatic muscles in Putin meeting

The Russian leader went on to say that his talks with Macron helped the pair to find common points in dealing with major worldwide problems, and the that two sides would try to further bring together their views on these issues.

Monday’s meeting – during which Macron and Putin were also scheduled to tour an exhibition marking the 300th anniversary of Russian Czar Peter the Great’s trip to Paris – was scheduled to discuss weighty topics, including the crises in Syria and Ukraine. She says the worldwide community needs to be tougher on Putin.

In a press conference with Putin, the French President said that his aim was to combat terrorism in Syria, and that he wanted to work with Putin to that end.

Mr Putin emphasised the need for closer co-operation between Russian Federation and France, two nuclear-armed permanent members of the UN Security Council.

The French leader said this issue demands “an inclusive political solution”.

The activists want newly-elected French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss the issue with Putin at their Versailles palace meeting.

Putin, 64, cancelled his last planned visit in October after Hollande accused Russian Federation of war crimes in Syria and refused to roll out the red carpet for him. Without provoking any opposition from Macron, Putin issued a call for an ending of European Union sanctions against Russia-a policy which Washington and also Berlin have supported, but which Putin said contributed “nothing at all” to solving the Ukrainian conflict. Reporters from Russian Federation today and Sputnik we’re not journalists but propagandists spreading total lies about me, no more, no less.

Witnesses and victims have told CNN that hundreds of gay men were being rounded up by authorities and held in detention centers.

“During the campaign, Russia Today and Sputnik were agents of influence which on several occasions spread fake news about me personally and my campaign”, Mr Macron said.

“They didn’t act like media, like journalists. Russia Today and Sputnik did not act as journalists, but as organs of lying propaganda, no more, no less”.

There were no statements from Russia Today or Sputnik immediately available.

PASCAL BONIFACE: (Through interpreter) Given the rancorous relations between France and Russian Federation today, it would have been hard for Macron to invite Putin as his first foreign guest.

“It is very important that we begin to dissipate the mistrust that has built up in recent years”.

Le Pen tweeted ahead of Putin’s meeting at the Palace of Versailles with President Emmanuel Macron, her former campaign rival, she “rejoices that V. Putin is being welcomed to France”.

Two days before the May 7 election runoff, Macron’s team said thousands of hacked campaign emails had been put online in a leak that one New York-based analyst said could have come from a group tied to Russian military intelligence. The meeting was of particular interest in large part thanks to allegations of Russian interference in the French election, which ostensibly backfired.

Macron met Trump for the first time Thursday in Brussels, Belgium at the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation G7 summit, and the two leaders exchanged a visibly tense handshake.

Ushakov said that the two leaders will also have a “frank” discussion on Syria, where Russian Federation has backed President Bashar Assad and France has pushed strongly for his removal.

The newly elected French leader called for a stronger partnership with Russian Federation on Syria, one of the sticking points in relations between the West and Moscow which backs Bashar al Assad regime.