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On Tuesday an unexpected phone call took place between Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron. The conversation marked the first time since September 2022 that the two leaders spoke. While the heads-of-state found common ground over the Iran conflict, they still held disagreements over the Ukraine conflict, although both showed an inclination toward a peaceful end to the hostilities.
“Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron emphasised that Russia and France, as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, bore particular responsibility for upholding peace and security, in the Middle East or elsewhere, as well as for preserving the global non-proliferation regime. In this regard, it was noted that respecting Tehran’s legitimate right to develop peaceful nuclear technology and continue fulfilling its obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which includes cooperating with the IAEA, was crucial,” a statement from the Kremlin regarding the call said.
Notably, both Russia and France possess nuclear weapons.
While Paris and Moscow have been at odds with each other over Kiev, with Macron himself challenging Russia with his nuclear weapons and even permitting his long range missiles to be launched toward Russian targets from Ukraine, the countries appear to finally be coming together over a third-party conflict.
“The two leaders spoke in favor of settling the crisis around Iran’s nuclear program and any other differences arising in the Middle East exclusively via political and diplomatic means. They agreed to maintain contact in order to coordinate their stances if necessary,” the Kremlin said.
In addition to Iran, Ukraine was discussed as well.
The French President’s office reportedly said that Macron “emphasized France’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” and that he “called for the establishment, as soon as possible, of a ceasefire and the launch of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia for a solid and lasting settlement of the conflict.”
While Macron spoke of his support for the Kiev government, Putin spoke of what led to the current situation.
“When discussing the situation surrounding Ukraine, Vladimir Putin reiterated that the Ukraine conflict was a direct consequence of the policies pursued by the Western countries, which had for years been ignoring Russia’s security interests, creating an anti-Russia staging ground in Ukraine, and condoning the violations of rights of Ukraine’s Russian-speaking citizens, and at present were pursuing a policy of prolonging hostilities while supplying the Kiev regime with a variety of modern weaponry,” the Kremlin said. “Speaking about the prospects of a peaceful settlement, the President of Russia has confirmed Russia’s stance on possible agreements: they are to be comprehensive and long-term, provide for the elimination of the root causes of the Ukraine crisis, and be based on the new territorial realities.”
The call lasted two hours and was initiated due to the U.S. bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites in late June.
“The call came after both leaders were left on the sidelines of the American decision to bomb Iran’s nuclear sites. For Mr. Macron, it appeared to be a move to regain international relevance in the Middle East. For Mr. Putin, it was also an opportunity to emphasize Russia’s stature as a player in global geopolitics despite the West’s outrage over his invasion of Ukraine,” The New York Times said.
