PARIS, May 30. /TASS/. The talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, as well as multiple bilateral meetings, at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) were fruitful, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday, speaking at a session of the French-Russian Dialogue Association in Paris.
Both Russian and French presidents were engaged in frank and constructive discussions, she noted.
They "discussed all the issues, in particular those of vast disagreement, in full detail," Zakharova said noting that "it is about time to come from ‘mouthpiece diplomacy’, when knotty and irritating issues transform instantaneously into accusations, to constructive dialogue."
"The presidents of Russia and France seem to have shown this attitude," she added.
"We can just feel joy over the outcomes of SPIEF meetings. We are living through a milestone moment and the main thing is not to lose it. Pragmatism and concrete steps are needed," the diplomat said with confidence.
The Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman arrived in Paris on an unofficial visit. Zakharova said that during her brief holiday in Paris she had attended meetings of Russian lawmakers with Senate Speaker Gerard Larcher and co-chair of the French-Russian Dialogue Association Thierry Mariani, an honorary member of France’s parliament.
"I arrived in France with a tourist visa, but not a diplomatic one, for the first time," she said. "The visit is a tourist one, but I will attempt to use the opportunity for dialogue."
During Zakharova’s stay in Paris, a first session of the French-Russian parliamentary cigar club, which participants pursue "cigar diplomacy", was held. A cigar named ‘Maria Zakharova’ was presented at the session.