FILE PHOTO: French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech during a ceremony marking the 75th anniversary of the Allied landings in Provence in World War II which helped liberate southern France, in Bormes-les-Mimosas, France August 17, 2019. Picture taken August 17, 2019. Yann Coatsaliou/Pool via Reuters
August 19, 2019
FORT BREGANCON, France (Reuters) – French President Emmanuel Macron said he hoped talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday would lead to a leaders’ summit on the crisis in Ukraine over the coming weeks.
Speaking shortly after receiving Putin at his summer residence in southern France, Macron said the two leaders would also discuss how to de-escalate tensions over Iran, the Syria conflict and arms control issues.
Macron also called for the respect of free speech and free elections in Russia.
(Reporting by John Irish and Michel Rose; editing by Richard Lough)
