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Anti-Russian sanctions

France ready to hold talks on lifting anti-Russian sanctions — government spokesman

The French president is due to pay a visit to Russia on May 24-25

French Government Spokesman Benjamin Griveaux EPA-EFE/ETIENNE LAURENT

French Government Spokesman Benjamin Griveaux

© EPA-EFE/ETIENNE LAURENT

PARIS, May 15. /TASS/. France’s authorities are ready to hold discussions on lifting the sanctions against Russia, French Government Spokesman Benjamin Griveaux told BFM TV on Tuesday.

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France disapproves of US extraterritorial sanctions leading to tension with Russia

Touching on the prospects of cancelling the anti-Russian sanctions amid the upcoming visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Russia next week, Griveaux said "it is early to speak about this, but there is nothing impossible."

"There are no deadlock situations," he said. "Everything may be discussed, this is the principle of diplomacy."

Griveaux does not believe that Paris has a different approach to the contacts with Washington and Moscow. "Vladimir Putin was invited to Versailles during the first weeks since Emmanuel Macron’s election," he noted. "Next week the French president is heading for a visit to Russia."

"Paris is holding negotiations with everyone," he stressed. "We adhere to the principle of multilateralism."

The French president is due to pay a visit to Russia on May 24-25. During the visit he will also take part in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, one of the key economic discussion platforms held under the auspices of the Russian president.

France was the first Western country where both chambers of the parliament - the National Assembly and the Senate - called for rolling back economic sanctions against Russia in 2016.

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Sanctions vs. Russia

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