Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron held a lengthy phone conversation on Tuesday, marking their first direct exchange since September 2022. According to the Kremlin, the discussion, which lasted two hours, covered the ongoing war in Ukraine and the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel.
The French presidency said Macron used the call to urge a ceasefire in Ukraine and to push for renewed negotiations to end the war. A French diplomatic source confirmed that Macron also spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy both before and after the call to keep him informed. U.S. President Donald Trump was similarly briefed.
On the Iranian nuclear issue, the two leaders exchanged sharply contrasting views. The Kremlin stated that Putin emphasized the importance of respecting Iran’s right to pursue peaceful nuclear energy under the nuclear nonproliferation treaty. Macron, however, reiterated the need for Iran to fully cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), especially in light of recent developments.
Last month, Iran’s parliament passed a bill to suspend cooperation with the IAEA following airstrikes by the U.S. and Israel targeting Iranian nuclear sites. While Tehran denies pursuing nuclear weapons, France remains deeply concerned. Macron reportedly expressed a strong commitment to pursuing a diplomatic solution that addresses Iran’s nuclear program, ballistic missile development, and regional influence. The two leaders agreed to coordinate future efforts on the matter.
France and Russia both hold permanent seats on the U.N. Security Council, giving their dialogue added weight on international security issues.
On Ukraine, Putin reiterated his long-standing position that the war is a consequence of Western disregard for Russia’s security concerns. He insisted any peace agreement must reflect “new territorial realities,” referring to Russian-occupied regions in Ukraine. Putin has previously made it clear that Moscow expects Kyiv to recognize these annexations as part of any settlement.
Macron, by contrast, affirmed France’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, maintaining that only Ukraine can determine the terms of any future territorial compromises.
Despite their stark differences, both leaders agreed to continue discussions on the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. Macron and Putin were in frequent contact during the early stages of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine—an approach that drew criticism from some European allies.