Overview

• The July 1 telephone conversation was the first public Macron-Putin exchange since September 2022, addressing both the Ukraine war and Middle East tensions.
• Macron urged Putin to agree “as soon as possible” to a ceasefire in Ukraine and to launch formal peace negotiations, stressing France’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
• Putin blamed Western policies for triggering the Ukraine war, demanded that any peace accord be long-term and legally acknowledge Russia’s annexation of Crimea and claims to four eastern regions, and proposed a buffer zone under Moscow’s control.
• Both leaders agreed to coordinate future diplomatic efforts on the Iranian nuclear program, with Macron advocating a durable diplomatic solution and Putin affirming Tehran’s right to peaceful atomic development.
• The resumption of direct dialogue breaks a two-and-a-half-year freeze in Franco-Russian relations and sets the stage for continued high-level engagement despite deep policy rifts.