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Russia’s upper house speaker is sure Putin’s visit to France will be held

Valentina Matviyenko has said that there is "no tragedy" in the fact that the meeting has been postponed

Russian Federation Council speaker Valentina Matviyenko Russian Federation Council press service/TASS

Russian Federation Council speaker Valentina Matviyenko

© Russian Federation Council press service/TASS

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Kremlin confirms Putin decided to cancel his visit to Paris

MOSCOW, October 12. /TASS/. The visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to France will be certainly held, Russia’s Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko has said, stressing that there is no isolation of Russia and its leader.

The upper house speaker said there is "no tragedy and no drama" about the cancellation of Putin’s October 19 visit to Paris, and all deliberations that Russia and its president are in international isolation "are just talks."

"The visit has been postponed, but it will be certainly held," Matviyenko said adding that "efficient decisions cannot be made without dialogue with Russia and everyone understands this."

On Monday, French President Francois Hollande expressed doubt whether talks with Putin were needed amid the differences over Syria. Later France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said Hollande would make a final decision on his personal meeting with Putin "taking into consideration the situation in Syria."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that Putin decided to cancel his trip to Paris, explaining that some cultural events timed for the visit "fell out" of the program. He said the Russian president "was ready to visit Paris when this is comfortable for President Hollande."

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