The Kremlin said on Wednesday that it was France that asked for French President Emmanuel Macron to speak by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin after a pause of nearly three years and that the two leaders had a "very substantive" discussion.

It was the two leaders’ first call since 2022, and the Russian president’s first with any major European leader since last year.

The Russian president dismisses a temporary ceasefire and warns that the solution must be "long-term". Emmanuel Macron has had his first video conference contact with Vladimir Putin since 2022. The French president has emphasized his "unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine" and has called on the Russian president for "a ceasefire as soon as possible" and "the start of negotiations for a solid and