France’s defence minister shared his first phone call in 22 months with his Russian counterpart to signal his country’s willingness to increase communication to battle “terrorism” after the deadly Moscow attack.
The pair also discussed the war in Ukraine, with Sebastien Lecornu reaffirming French support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia, the French defence ministry said.
Such high-level contact between a senior Russian official close to President Vladimir Putin and a top minister from a European power has been rare in the two years since Russia’s invasion.
Mr Lecornu and Sergei Shoigu last held phone talks in October 2022.
The one-hour talk came as France steps up preparations to host the Olympic Games this year. The March 22 attack on a Moscow concert hall revived security fears for the Paris Games which begin on July 26.