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French ministers to go to Moscow only if ‘progress on Ukrainian problem’ is reached

A proposal to hold a meeting was made in the course of a telephone conversation between Vladimir Putin and Francois Hollande

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius EPA/JULIEN WARNAND

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius

© EPA/JULIEN WARNAND

PARIS, March 12, /ITAR-TASS/. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian will make a trip to Moscow March 18 to discuss possible international assistance to settling the situation in Ukraine, but the talks will take place only if progress is on the Ukrainian problem is made, the press service of the Elysee Palace said Wednesday.

An advisor to President Francois Hollande said the ministers would go to Russia only on the condition “we receive signals from the Russian side that will show us the meeting might be useful.”

A proposal to hold a meeting was made in the course of a telephone conversation between Vladimir Putin and Francois Hollande that was held at a request from the French side. The two Presidents agreed the discussion of a possible international intensification of the efforts to settle the crisis in that country could continue in the course of the minister’s visit to Moscow, the Kremlin press service said.

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