Kremlin: Macron Didn’t Propose Peace Based on Ukraine’s New Territorial Reality

French President Emmanuel Macron called his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to discuss the situation with Iran, Le Parisien publication said. The call followed Macron's recent conversations with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi.

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Emmanuel Macron

Sources informed the newspaper about the details of the July 1 call, the first between the two presidents in nearly three years, since September 2022. One source noted that communications were never completely severed, while others highlighted a mutual interest in resuming dialogue.

On the Iran issue, the French side reported that "both presidents agreed to coordinate their actions and hold new talks soon to jointly monitor the situation.” The Russian side confirmed the possibility of continuing contacts on this topic.

According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the call was initiated by the French side.

"The initiative came from the French side,” he stated, adding that Moscow has repeatedly expressed readiness for dialogue. The conversation between the two leaders lasted more than two hours.

Meanwhile, Peskov noted that the Russian side had not received any recent requests for phone calls from the United Kingdom or Germany.

"There have been no requests from Germany or the UK as of yet,” he said.

The Kremlin emphasized the importance of respecting "Tehran's legitimate right to develop peaceful nuclear energy” and stated that Iran must comply with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which includes cooperation with the IAEA.

The two presidents also discussed Ukraine. Macron reiterated France's continued support for Kyiv and called for a ceasefire and the start of negotiations. Putin reaffirmed Russia's position that any agreements must be comprehensive and long-term, address the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis, and be based on the new territorial realities.

Regarding Ukraine, Macron did not signal any willingness to discuss peace terms based on the current realities on the ground, Peskov clarified.