PARIS, May 16. /TASS/. Moscow has never taken steps to break off relations with Paris, and it remains open to improving ties provided France makes the first move, Russian Ambassador to France Alexey Meshkov told TASS.
"Everything depends on Paris’s stance. Russia wasn’t the one to initiate the escalation. We will be ready to improve our relations once France takes steps in this direction. After all, it’s in France’s interests to maintain good relations with Russia," he stated.
Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that relations between Moscow and Paris "have reached a low point." He emphasized that one of the key reasons for this was France’s stance on issues such as freedom of speech, freedom of the press and the people’s right to full, objective information. The minister also expressed regret over what he described as distorted interpretations of events in Ukraine being circulated in France. Nevertheless, he noted that French officials occasionally signal a desire to bury the hatchet with Russia, though they do so very discreetly, "in a whisper."
Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking to reporters at the Kremlin in the early hours of May 11, said that sooner or later, relations between Russia and European countries will be restored. This, he noted, includes nations that continue to use anti-Russian rhetoric, engage in aggressive actions against Moscow, and attempt to communicate "in a boorish manner, using ultimatums.".