France's Hollande Reaches Out to Putin in Moscow

[Purveyor]

French President Francois Hollande met with President Vladimir Putin during an impromptu visit to Moscow on Saturday, a rare display of goodwill as tensions remain high over the ongoing conflict in east Ukraine and France's decision to suspend the delivery of two warships to Moscow.

The French leader's unexpected stopover in Moscow, as he traveled from neighboring Kazakhstan back to Paris, makes him the only head of state from a major Western power to visit Russia since it annexed Ukraine's Crimea peninsula in March.

The visit — which in sharp contrast to protocol was held at a Moscow airport rather than at the gilded halls of the Kremlin or Putin's country residence — comes as Russia's economy heads toward recession for the first time in six years, and Moscow is more isolated than ever over its role in Ukraine.

The announcement Saturday morning that the two world leaders would meet came as a surprise amid tensions between Moscow and Paris. According to French newspaper Le Figaro, the meeting — which had long been pondered — was only confirmed on Friday night and was scheduled with the assistance of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who is in regular contact with the Kremlin.

Putin struck a more moderate note than expected on the conflict in east Ukraine, where fighting between pro-Russian rebels and Kiev's forces has claimed at least 4,300 lives since April. Western nations have imposed sanctions on Russia for what it says is its role in providing the militants with personnel and arms, something Moscow denies.

"I very much hope that in the near future we will have a final cease-fire agreement" in east Ukraine, Putin said in televised remarks after meeting with Hollande. Without a fully implemented truce, he said, "it is difficult to picture Ukraine as a territorially integral country, and Russia, as is well-known, supports the territorial integrity of Ukraine."

more...

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/france-s-hollande-reaches-out-to-putin-in-moscow/512673.html

[Albertoo]

1. With a job approval rating of 13% in a country with a sliding economy and no Army..

.. I am convinced Putin listened closely to what Hollande had to say.

[stevenleser]

3. Well, Putin certainly wants those ships France built for them...

...

[Albertoo]

5. they've been put under wraps

Delivery reported sine die.

Putin already mentioned a money back settlement.

[Duckhunter935]

2. "Russia, as is well-known, supports the territorial integrity of Ukraine"

except the part they invaded and annexed

[stevenleser]

4. Yeah, if that isn't one of the biggest jokes yet.

Putin is ever the cold war intelligence officer relic with that kind of doublespeak.

[Albertoo]

6. Putin is a cold war relic

He even denied Russian involvement in Ukraine (Luhansk, Donets) when some of his troops have been geolocalised there. That, + columns of tanks that could only have been retrofitted in Mother Russia.

But playing Mr tough guy is popular with the moujiks who are so pleased with regaining the status of schoolyard bully that they forgive Putin for stuffing his pockets.

[Duckhunter935]

7. not to mention

all of those soldiers killed in the endless military "exercise" at Ukraine's border or while on "vacation" with their military equipment in Ukraine itself.

[NuclearDem]

8. Pahahahahaha

Oh my God, what a joke.

[Duckhunter935]

9. It is

hard to believe some here support him

[NuclearDem]

10. At least the worst of them bowed out on her own not too long ago.