Putin and Macron Hold Significant Call on Iran and Ukraine Issues

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin had a "substantial" phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron on the Middle East crisis including Iran and the Ukraine conflict, the Kremlin said on Tuesday, their first such exchange since September 2022.

In Paris, Macron's office said the call lasted two hours and that the French leader had called for a ceasefire in Ukraine and the start of negotiations on ending the conflict.

According to the Kremlin press service, Putin said it was necessary to respect Iran's right to the peaceful development of nuclear energy as well as its continued compliance with its obligations under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

Putin also reiterated to Macron his view that the war in Ukraine was "a direct consequence of the West's policy", which he said had "ignored Russia's security interests" over the past few years.

Any possible peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine should have a "comprehensive and long-term character" and be based on "new territorial realities", the Kremlin quoted Putin as saying.

Putin has previously said Ukraine must accept Russia's annexation of swathes of its territory as part of any peace deal.

Macron's office said the French president had also stressed the need for Iran to comply with its obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and to cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Macron and Putin agreed to coordinate their efforts and to speak again soon, the Elysee statement said.

(Reporting by ReutersEditing by Gareth Jones)