The uncommon phone conversation between the defense ministers of France and Russia on Wednesday—their first since October 2022—discussed the Islamic State’s alleged strike in Moscow as well as Russia’s conflict with Ukraine, according to Paris.
Sebastien Lecornu, the French minister of defense, informed Sergei Shoigu that his country was ready to combat “terrorism” and was ready for “increased exchanges with the aim of fighting this threat as effectively as possible,” according to a statement from the ministry.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has acknowledged that “radical Islamists” conducted the bloody assault on the concert venue in Moscow that left at least 144 people dead, but suggested they were linked to Ukraine.
Lecornu said that France had no information to establish a link to Ukraine, calling on Moscow “to stop all instrumentalisation” of the attack, the defence ministry said.
“he minister also unreservedly condemned the war of aggression that Russia has launched in Ukraine,” the statement said.
“France will continue to support Ukraine as long and as intensely as necessary in its fight for freedom and sovereignty, in order to bring peace and security to the European continent,” the statement added.
March saw French President Emmanuel Macron declare that Paris had extended an offer of “increased cooperation” to Russian security services. He went on to say that instead of holding direct conversations with Putin, there would be “technical and ministerial level” interaction.
The French president visited Moscow early in 2022 and attempted to warn Putin against attacking Ukraine in a series of phone calls.
Even after the invasion started, he continued to communicate by phone with Putin; nonetheless, their final conversation was in September 2022.
In recent months, Macron has hardened his stance against Russia and has refused to rule out the possibility of stationing troops in Ukraine.October 2022 was the last time Lecornu and Shoigu spoke over the phone.
