Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a telephone conversation with French leader Emmanuel Macron that Moscow will carefully study the responses of the West to its proposals on security guarantees and only after that will decide on further actions, the Kremlin press service said on Friday.
"Vladimir Putin noted that the Russian side will carefully study the written responses to the draft agreements on security guarantees received on January 26 from the United States and NATO, after which it will decide on its further actions," the report said.
Putin pointed out during the conversation that the United States and NATO did not take into account Russia's fundamental concerns in their responses to Moscow's proposals on security guarantees.
"It was pointed out that the US and NATO responses never took into account such fundamental concerns of Russia as preventing NATO expansion, refusing to deploy shock weapons systems near Russian borders, and returning the bloc's military capabilities and infrastructure in Europe to the positions of 1997, when the Russia-NATO Founding Act was signed," the report said.
It is noted that the key question "how the US and its allies intend to follow the principle of indivisibility of security fixed in the basic documents of OSCE and Russia-NATO, providing that nobody must strengthen his security at the expense of security of other countries" was also ignored by the West.
European security issues
The presidents agreed to continue dialogue on a whole range of European security issues. "In connection with the French presidency of the EU Council in the first half of this year, Macron briefed Putin on Paris's approaches in the pan-European track. It was agreed to continue the Russian-French dialogue on the whole range of European security issues," the report said.
In his conversation with Macron, Putin stressed the importance of Kiev's strict implementation of the Minsk agreements.
Iran's nuclear program and nuclear energy
The sides stated that Russia and France have close positions on the issue of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the Iranian nuclear program.
"The situation around the JCPOA on the Iranian nuclear program was reviewed. The positions of Russia and France, which actively advocate the continuation of international efforts to preserve and implement the JCPOA, as well as UN Security Council Resolution 2231," the Kremlin noted.
The presidents of Russia and France discussed, among other things, cooperation between the two countries in the field of nuclear energy. "They discussed some practical aspects of bilateral cooperation, including in the nuclear energy sector," the statement said.
The leaders also exchanged views on measures taken in both countries to combat coronavirus infection.
The Kremlin noted at the end of the conversation that "the presidents of Russia and France have agreed to remain in close contact".
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS