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Putin, Macron talk to each other 'on the go' after funeral service for Chirac

Putin talked with the French leader for about two minutes

PARIS, September 30. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron have talked to each other briefly while leaving the Church of Saint-Sulpice in Paris, where the funeral service for ex-French President Jacques Chirac had ended.

Putin talked with the French leader for about two minutes, after which he proceeded to his car, a TASS correspondent reported from the scene.

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Putin arrives in Paris to pay last respects to Jacques Chirac

Prior to that, the Russian president took part in a ceremony to bid final farewell to Chirac held in the Church of Saint-Sulpice, which lasted for more than an hour and a half. It was attended by about 80 current and former heads of state and government.

The ceremony of public tribute to Chirac at the Hotel des Invalides memorial complex in the center of Paris on Sunday was attended by thousands of people.

Putin and Chirac repeatedly met in the capacity of their countries’ leaders and after Chirac left the presidential post. In an interview to The Financial Times last June, Putin said that Chirac was one of the foreign leaders he had chanced to meet with who produced the most serious impression. Putin described Chirac as "a true intellectual, a very level-headed man as well as very interesting."

Chirac died at home in the morning of September 26 surrounded by his family. He is expected to be buried at the Montparnasse cemetery in Paris next to his daughter Laurence.

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