Macron to hold ‘tough’ talks with Putin

Paris, May 29 (IANS) French President Emmanuel Macron met his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for talks near Paris on Monday, amid tensions over the conflicts in Syria and Ukraine.

Both leaders met at the ornate Grand Trianon Palace at the Palace of Versailles and will hold a joint news conference after their talks. Macron said he expected some tough words as both countries back opposing sides in the Syrian civil war and are at odds over the Ukraine conflict.

Putin arrived at the Charles De Gaulle Airport and attended a welcoming ceremony and a joint photo-op at the palace entrance. The guard of honour with the orchestra took part in the ceremony, Russian news agency Tass reported.

The two leaders were expected to discuss bilateral and international issues, including the situation in Libya and on the Korean Peninsula and Russia's relations with the European Union.

After the high-level private meeting, the two leaders will be joined by other members of their delegations during a working breakfast.

The Russian and French leaders will also attend a large exhibition in the Royal Palace devoted to the 300th anniversary of Russian Czar Peter the Great's first trip to France.

At the conclusion of his visit, Putin will leave Versailles for Paris to attend the Russian Cultural and Spiritual Center opened in October last year.

Macron, at the G7 summit in Sicily at the weekend said: "It is essential to talk to Russia because there are a number of international issues that will not be resolved without a tough dialogue with them."

During the French election campaign, the Macron camp accused Russian agents of launching cyber attacks against them. However, Moscow rejected the allegations of meddling in the election.

Putin supported Macron's nationalist rival Marine Le Pen and hosted her in the Kremlin a month before the election's first round.

Meanwhile, , Russia's ambassador to Paris, Alexander Orlov told Europe 1 radio on Monday that he expected this first meeting between the two men to be full of "smiles" and marking the beginning of "a very good and long relationship".