"I wanted to send a message which is that of de-escalation and today it is possible"
Back from Kazakhstan, Francois Hollande made an unexpected stopover in Moscow. At his request, the French president met his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at Vnukovo Airport. He is the first Western leader to visit the Russian capital since the beginning of the Ukrainian crisis. In the end, two-hour interview and a conciliatory tone.
"I think we need to avoid having other walls that are separate. At one point, one must be able to overcome obstacles and find solutions, "said Francois Hollande.
"These problems are very difficult, but nevertheless our discussions have brought good results," said the head of the Kremlin, adding "I am sure that your visit today, although short, will help find solutions. "
Isolated on the international stage, the Russian president is accused by Western leaders to put oil on the fire of a conflict that has left more than 4,300 dead in eight months.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announced his "agreement in principle" for peace talks next Tuesday in Minsk. The previous meeting in the Belarusian capital had resulted in early September in the signing of a plan cease-fire. An agreement became moribund. According to figures from the UN, since, on average 13 people were killed daily, among Ukrainian soldiers, the pro-Russian forces and civilians.
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