Press release – telephone Interview with Mr. Vladimir Putin, the President of the Russian Federation

MIL OSI Translation. Government of the Republic of France statements from French to English – Published on August 10, 2018

Topic : International development and francophonie

The President of the Republic spoke by phone this morning with Vladimir Putin, the President of the Russian Federation.

In the continuation of their conversation earlier, the two presidents discussed the situation of the filmmaker Oleg Sentsov, have been on hunger strike since mid-may. The President of the Republic has expressed to President Putin of his concern, while the state of health of Mr. Sentsov seems to deteriorate dangerously, and the need for Russia to find urgently a humanitarian solution to this situation. The President of the Republic has made several proposals in this sense. President Putin promised to respond and to rapidly disseminate on the state of health of Mr. Sentsov.

The interview also focused extensively on the situation in Syria. The two presidents discussed the military situation and the conditions necessary for a return to safe, dignified and voluntary refugees. The President of the Republic has reiterated the importance of a political solution inclusive which alone will bring peace and lasting stability in Syria. In this regard, the exchanges will continue between France and Russia in the next few weeks, at the level of ministers and special representatives. The two presidents agreed to talk again in early September.

Finally, the two presidents have made the point of the exchanges initiated in July of last year on cyber security, in accordance with the decisions taken during the visit of the President of the Republic in Saint-Petersburg.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Please accept our apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure is not be perfect.