Russia claimed that its Defense Minister, Sergei Shoigu, and his French counterpart, Sebastien Lecornu, discussed the possibility of talks concerning the Ukraine conflict during an unexpected telephone conversation on Wednesday. However, Paris promptly refuted this assertion.
This surprising call, reportedly initiated by France according to Moscow, represents a rare instance of high-level communication between the two nations, whose relations have been significantly strained by the ongoing two-year Ukraine war.
“The readiness for dialogue on Ukraine was acknowledged. Potential starting points could be founded on the Istanbul peace initiative,” stated the Russian Defense Ministry regarding the call.
The Russian statement did not provide further details on the nature of the discussion, and a source familiar with Lecornu’s position promptly refuted the claim.
According to the source, “France neither agreed to nor suggested any such discussion” regarding the conflict, as reported by AFP.
While the French Defense Ministry confirmed that Ukraine was among the topics discussed during the call, it emphasized that Lecornu reiterated France’s steadfast support for Kyiv in its struggle against Russia.
Last month, NATO member Turkey expressed readiness to host another peace summit between the conflicting parties. However, Kyiv has expressed reluctance to engage in direct negotiations with Moscow.
The initial peace talks were convened in Ankara shortly after Russia initiated its invasion in February 2022.
High-level contacts between a senior Russian official associated with President Vladimir Putin and a key minister from a European nation have been infrequent in the two years following Russia’s invasion.
Both parties confirmed that the discussions between the two individuals included the recent terrorist attack on a Moscow concert hall, attributed to the Islamic State and universally condemned by Western nations.
Lecornu conveyed to Shoigu that France remains steadfast in combating “terrorism” and is committed to enhancing cooperation to effectively combat this threat, as stated by the French defence ministry.
Additionally, the French minister reiterated France’s unequivocal condemnation and solidarity with the victims and their families. He also condemned Russia’s aggressive war in Ukraine without reservation.
Shoigu expressed hope that France was not implicated in the attack, suggesting that the Kyiv government acts with the consent of Western overseers. He expressed trust that French intelligence services were not involved in the incident.
The Kremlin has propagated the notion of Western and Ukrainian involvement in the attack, a claim dismissed as absurd by the US and Kyiv.
According to the French defence ministry, Lecornu emphasized that France lacked any evidence to connect the attack to Ukraine and urged Moscow to cease exploiting the incident for political purposes.
Putin acknowledged the involvement of “radical Islamists” in the Moscow attack, claiming they had ties to Kyiv. However, this assertion lacks substantiated evidence.
Shoigu criticized Paris for suggesting the possibility of deploying Western troops to Ukraine, following French President Emmanuel Macron’s refusal in February to rule out such action.
According to Russia’s defence ministry, Sergei Shoigu highlighted the potential challenges France could face if it followed through with the Elysee Palace’s proposal to send a French contingent to Ukraine.
In response, Sebastien Lecornu reaffirmed France’s commitment to supporting Ukraine in its struggle for freedom and sovereignty, emphasizing the country’s dedication to achieving peace and security in Europe.
President Emmanuel Macron announced in March that France had extended offers for “enhanced cooperation” with Russian security services following the Moscow attack. He clarified that discussions would occur at a technical and ministerial level, rather than direct talks with Putin.
French authorities have sought international assistance to bolster security for the upcoming Olympics amidst concerns over potential terrorist threats, underscoring the pressures associated with the event.
President Macron made efforts to dissuade Putin from invading Ukraine through phone discussions in 2022 and a visit to Moscow earlier that year. Despite ongoing communication with Putin following the invasion, bilateral talks have ceased since September 2022.
Macron has adopted a more assertive stance towards Russia in recent months, signaling a willingness to potentially deploy troops in Ukraine.
The last phone conversation between Lecornu and Shoigu took place in October 2022.
In April 2023, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken engaged in a phone call, while Shoigu had a discussion with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin the month prior.
Although Lavrov frequently attends G20 gatherings, there is no evidence of direct communication with Western counterparts during these meetings.
