Putin Talks to Emmanuel Macron Over the Phone for the First Time since 2022

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone conversation with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, according to a post on the Kremlin’s Telegram channel. The key topics of discussion reportedly included the conflict between Israel and Iran, U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, and the situation in Ukraine. Putin emphasized that the Ukrainian conflict is a direct consequence of Western countries’ policies, which for years ignored Russia’s security interests. According to the Russian leader, any approach to resolving the conflict must address the root causes of the crisis and take into account the new territorial realities.