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Video conference of Emmanuel Macron and Vladimir Putin on Libya, Syria and Ukraine

Emmanuel Macron and Vladimir Putin, presidents of France and Russia, held a video conference on Friday. The subject of the meeting was the situation in Libya, Syria and Ukraine. As the representative of the Elysée Palace said after the conversation, the position of Paris and Moscow on Libya is similar.

French President Emmanuel Macron “is convinced that we can move forward” with Russia on many issues, including the Libyan crisis, “a representative of the Elysee Palace told the media. He added, “France and Russia have a common interest in stabilizing Libya and uniting its institutions.”

Announcement of a visit to Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin invited the French president to pay a visit to Russia. Macron accepted the invitation, expressing his desire to come “at the end of summer” – according to the transcript of the leaders’ talks, published by the Kremlin. The presidents held a video conference on Friday, which in addition to the situation in Libya was also about the situation in Syria and Ukraine.

Macron and Putin began the meeting by talking about the instrumentalization of the history of World War II. Putin recalled Russia’s contribution to victory in the Great Patriotic War, as the years 1941-1945 are called in Russia, i.e. from the aggression of Nazi Germany on the USSR until the end of World War II.

Macron paid tribute to the 27 million Soviet soldiers who died during the war, also mentioning the losses suffered by other Eastern European nations.

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Macron and Putin videoconferencePAP / EPA / MICHAEL KLIMENTYEV / SPUTNIK / KREMLIN POOL

Turkish-French tensions in Libya

In recent days France has been conducting a diplomatic offensive on the situation in Libya, and in recent weeks there have been tensions between France and Turkey in this matter.

The cause of the diplomatic crisis between these two countries is Ankara’s offensive of the government of national unity on Syrta, a Libyan city controlled by the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army (ANL) General Khalif Haftar.

Turkey supports Prime Minister Fajiz Mustafa as-Saradja, recognized by the international community and the UN, by the Government of National Unity (GNA). However, France unofficially supports his political opponent Haftar, as does Russia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

The talks of the leaders lasted almost two hours aimed at “continuing the so-called Bregancon program”, named after the summer residence of the French presidents, in which Macron received Putin in August 2019, according to a press release from the Elysee Palace.

Macron during the conversation expressed “concerns about strengthening the presence of Turkey” and its support for the government of Saraja and foreign interference, including the forces of so-called Wagner’s group, or Russian mercenaries.

Joint statement by France, Germany and Italy on Libya

On Thursday, the French, German and Italian ministries signed a joint statement calling for an immediate ceasefire in Libya and a return to international talks.

Spokesmen also called on all foreign entities to comply with the arms embargo established by the UN Security Council.

On Tuesday, on the other hand, the French Senate, dominated by the opposition right, published a report on the state of Franco-Russian relations prepared together with the Federation Council (the upper chamber of the Russian parliament).

“Would a young Frenchman go to fight in Crimea? We all know the answer”

The center-right head of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Christian Cambon called on Russia to implement the Minsk agreements to regulate the situation in eastern Ukraine, which – he said – could lift EU sanctions against Russia. Cambon, quoted by the daily Le Monde, said that dialogue with Russia should be maintained “at all costs” and that “no international conflict would be resolved without Russia.”

In the Franco-Russian report Revolution of Dignity in Ukraine – peaceful protests that broke out in autumn 2013 in response to the refusal of the rulers regarding rapprochement with the EU and led to the removal of the then authorities – was described as a “coup d’état”, and the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014 was recognized for the fruit of “voluntary union (peninsula) with Russia”.

When asked about France’s position regarding the annexation of Crimea, Cambon in a conversation with the newspaper answered with a rhetorical question. “Would a young Frenchman go to fight in Crimea? We all know the answer,” said the senator.

photo-source">Source of main photo: PAP / EPA / MICHAEL KLIMENTYEV / SPUTNIK / KREMLIN POOL

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