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Putin to discuss Ukraine, Normandy format with Macron on August 19

The leaders will also focus on bilateral cooperation and economic ties

MOSCOW, August 13. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to pay a visit to France on August 19 to discuss with French President Emmanuel Macron the situation in Ukraine and the future work in the Normandy format (Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany), Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

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"Indeed, a working visit of the Russian president to France on August 19 is being prepared, this will be a one-day visit," Peskov said.

The leaders will focus on bilateral cooperation and economic ties, international issues, namely Ukraine, as well as the prospects of continuing work in the Normandy format, he noted.

Peskov has not ruled out that the sides could discuss the repatriation of the remains of a French general, Charles-Etienne Gudin de La Sablonniere, who was killed on the battlefield near Smolensk in 1812. His remains were unearthed this July by a team of archaeologists.

"Certainly, if our French vis-a-vis consider it necessary to bring up this issue, I’m sure this issue will be discussed," Peskov said, stressing that Putin and Macron usually have a frank discussion on various issues.

The Normandy format negotiations for ironing out the Donbass crisis have been underway since June 2014. The leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany gathered in Normandy for the celebrations of the 70th anniversary of D-Day (the landing of allied troops on the beaches of Normandy in 1944) to discuss the settlement of the conflict in Donbass for the first time. Since then, a number of phone conversations and high-level meetings have taken place as well as contacts between the foreign ministers.

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