Diplomatic deconfinement between Macron and Poutine

Text by: Valérie Gas Follow

Emmanuel Macron and Vladimir Poutine met by videoconference late Friday afternoon. A first post-Covid exchange between the two presidents who should have met during the ceremonies scheduled for May 9 in Moscow which Emmanuel Macron was to attend and which had been canceled due to the epidemic of coronavirus. A direct discussion to take stock of the bilateral relationship and major crises.

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It was a rather special tête-à-tête, in videoconference, one in Paris, the other in Russia, but still a tête-à-tête . And in the relationship between Emmanuel Macron and Vladimir Poutine, this is not a detail. It is also at the request of the Russian president that this meeting format was chosen, explains the Elysee. On both sides, there is the desire to maintain direct contact. Vladimir Putin values ​​the relationship of trust with Emmanuel Macron, who himself believes that personal ties play a preponderant role in diplomacy.

Macron in Russia in the coming months

For two hours, the presidents therefore exchanged on the agenda of what the Elysée called the "strategic dialogue", engaged in Brégançon, last August when Vladimir Poutine had visited Emmanuel Macron. Objective for the French head of state: try to find points of convergence with his Russian counterpart to reduce tensions, in Europe but also in Libya, Syria…

The date of the next meeting between the two presidents has not been fixed, but Vladimir Putin has invited Emmanuel Macron to visit Russia. The French head of state agreed. The meeting should take place in the coming months, probably before the end of the year, or sooner if the sanitary conditions allow it.

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• France
• Russia
• Emmanuel Macron
• Vladimir Poutine