MOSCOW, June 25. /TASS/. French President Emmanuel Macron bears direct personal responsibility for the current deadlock in relations between Russia and France, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s official spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, told reporters.

"60 years ago, French President General Charles de Gaulle paid a state visit to the Soviet Union," she said, commenting on what she described as "an important historical date that modern European leaders prefer to forget."

"His talks with the Soviet leadership produced breakthrough agreements in trade, science and peaceful exploration of space that were ahead of their time. An intergovernmental commission began to meet on a regular basis. Trade expanded steadily, and contacts in all areas were intensified," the Russian diplomat continued.

"Today, relations between Russia on one side and France and the European Union on the other are going through a profound crisis, and we are not the ones to blame. They are largely viewed not even as a cold war, but as a hybrid war, which the collective West unleashed against Russia. Incumbent French President Macron, who in many aspects is personally responsible for the current deadlock in bilateral relations, together with his political team, have literally lost their grasp of reality if they allow themselves to make public remarks about ‘preparing for a military confrontation’ with our country," Zakharova said.

"General [Charles de Gaulle] valued his friendly relations with Moscow, which were formed during the World War Two and eventually allowed France to take its rightful place among the victorious countries and to receive a permanent seat of a UN Security Council member. Now, this seat is filled with political garbage, becoming some sort of a dumping ground for France’s foreign policy. This is how disrespectful they are towards their role of a permanent member of the UN Security Council," the spokeswoman added.