Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s meeting with Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France Jean-Yves Le Drian
On June 20, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met in Moscow with Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic Jean-Yves Le Drian. The meeting was held pursuant to the agreements reached during President Vladimir Putin’s working visit to France on May 29.
The ministers analysed the bilateral agenda and reaffirmed the course for invigorating Russian-French ties, which the presidents mapped out during their meeting in Versailles. They have also coordinated the schedule of further political and interdepartmental contact.
Urgent international topics were also discussed. The officials exchanged views on crisis settlement in Syria, including in the context of Russian and French participation in the work of the UN Security Council. The Russian minister stressed that the conflicting parties should be prodded by the international community towards a political settlement based on an inclusive dialogue without preconditions and in keeping with UN Security Council Resolution 2254. They also confirmed the Russian and French resolve to engage in an uncompromising fight against international terrorists who are threatening both countries.
The ministers discussed in detail the current situation in Ukraine, confirming that there was no alternative to the full and unconditional implementation of the Minsk Agreements as the only path towards a settlement.
