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Sergei Lavrov (G) welcomes his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian this Monday, September 9, 2019 in Moscow. REUTERS / Shamil Zhumatov

The Russian and French Foreign Ministers have initiated the resumption of the dialogue between Moscow and Paris. This is the first meeting of its kind since the annexation of Crimea in 2014.

With our correspondent in Moscow , Daniel Vallot

A frank and demanding dialogue. This is what proposes France to Russia, in the words used this Monday in Moscow by Jean-Yves Le Drian. The head of the French diplomacy considers that " the time has come to reduce distrust with Russia ". Although the two countries have been confronted with difficult situations in recent years, Jean-Yves Le Drian is promoting " common interests ".

For the first time since 2014, the four defense and foreign ministers of the two countries came together around the same table. Jean-Yves Le Drian, Florence Parly, Sergey Lavrov and Sergei Shoygou notably discussed the situation in Syria, the Iranian issue, but also and above all the Donbass and the possibility of a resumption of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. Because French diplomacy hopes to obtain gestures from Russia on the Ukrainian file.

On the Russian side, we are otherwise prepared to perform these gestures, at least satisfied to see this dialogue take place. Emmanuel Macron proposes to work with Russia and not against it, noted Sergey Lavrov. " We are obviously in favor, " said the Russian foreign minister.