PARIS, May 26. /TASS/. Moscow considers Paris as an important and privileged partner, Russian Ambassador to France Alexander Orlov said in an interview with the French CNews TV channel on Friday.
L'Ambassadeur Alexandre Orlov en direct avec @JP_Elkabbach à @CNEWS ce matin pic.twitter.com/Jc8NFpAecE
— Посольство в Париже (@ambruspresse) 26 May 2017
"France occupies a special place in the world, as well as in our relations," he said. "The country has been an important and privileged partner for Russia during the past 300 years," Orlov said adding that diplomatic relations between the two countries had been established during Russian Tsar Peter the Great’s visit to France in 1717.
The ambassador pointed out that "Russia would like France to be a strong state." The upcoming meeting between the Russian and French presidents, planned to be held in Versailles, will prove to be an important milestone in bilateral relations, Orlov added.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin is scheduled to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron in Versailles on May 29.
The two presidents will open an exhibition set up by Russia’s State Hermitage Museum at the Grand Trianon palace, which is dedicated to the 300th anniversary of Peter the Great’s visit to France. The Kremlin press service pointed out that the tsar’s visit had marked the beginning of sustainable relations between the two countries.