After nearly three years of silence, Putin, Macron discuss Iran, Ukraine conflict

Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron held a phone call on Tuesday, marking their first direct exchange since September 2022. According to the Kremlin, the two leaders discussed the ongoing war in Ukraine and tensions surrounding Iran's nuclear program.

The Kremlin called the conversation "substantial," while Macron's office in Paris confirmed the call lasted two hours. It was initiated by the French president. During the call, Macron pushed for a ceasefire in Ukraine and called for fresh negotiations to end the conflict, which has continued for more than two years.

Macron reaffirmed France's full support for Ukraine's sovereignty and integrity. "The president emphasised France's unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," the lyse Palace said in a statement.

However, Putin repeated his stance, saying the war was "a direct consequence of the West's policy," which had ignored Russia's security concerns. The Kremlin also said any future peace agreement should reflect "new territorial realities" — a reference to the areas of Ukraine that Russia claims to have annexed.

Putin has been saying that Ukraine must accept Russia's control over those territories as part of any peace deal. Meanwhile, France has maintained that only Ukraine has the right to decide whether to make territorial concessions.

IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM IN FOCUS

The two also discussed the growing tensions over Iran's nuclear program. The concern increased in recent weeks after Iran's parliament passed a bill to suspend cooperation with the UN's nuclear watchdog, the Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), after joint US and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

During the call, Putin said Iran's right to peacefully develop nuclear energy must be respected and Tehran should continue meeting its obligations under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

While Macron called on Iran to fully cooperate with the IAEA and expressed his concern about Iran’s ballistic missile program. "Macron expressed his determination to seek a diplomatic solution that would lead to a lasting and rigorous resolution of the nuclear issue, the question of Iran's missiles, and its role in the region," his office stated.

Both sides reportedly agreed to coordinate efforts to ease nuclear tensions and avoid further escalation.

Russia and France are permanent members of the UN Security Council. Macron and Putin had frequently spoken in the early months of Russia's invasion of Ukraine; in February 2022, Macron even visited Moscow. But their conversation had been quiet for nearly three years.

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