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Putin welcomes Macron’s readiness and political will to continue dialogue - Kremlin

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that President Macron initiated a one-on-one meeting during the Normandy Four summit

BARNAUL, December 15. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomes readiness and political will of French leader Emmanuel Macron to continue dialogue as part of the Normandy Four (Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine), Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with the Bolshaya Igra (Big Game) TV program on Russia’s Channel One.

"There was a long one-on-one discussion with President [of France Emmanuel] Macron. It was President Macron’s initiative that this should be a one-on-one meeting. They [Putin and Macron] understand each other, they do not agree about everything, they agree in one thing and show political will here that there is no alternative to dialogue and discussing even those issues, on which the sides have not yet come to terms. In this respect, our president is impressed by this Macron’s readiness and political will," he said.

The Normandy Four summit, which took place in Paris on December 9, brought together French President Emmanuel Macron, Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky.

The four leaders reaffirmed their commitment to implementing a comprehensive ceasefire in Donbass before the end of 2019. They also voiced support for a plan to carry out the disengagement of forces in three more areas in Donbass by the end of March 2020 and conduct an all-for-all prisoner exchange before 2019 ends.

Nord Stream gas leak investigation

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Insurers refuse to pay compensation for Nord Stream — Russian envoy to UN

Vasily Nebenzya stressed that insurers conclude on their own that the "explosion at the gas pipelines was made using an explosive devices, willfully and due to political motives," thereby confirming its terroristic nature

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