PARIS, March 7. /TASS/. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian highlighted the need to maintain channels of communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"It is indispensable to maintain channels of communication with [Russian President] Vladimir Putin," BFM TV channel cites the French foreign minister as saying.

Moreover, Le Drian stressed that France "is not at war with Russia."

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised address on February 24 that in response to a request by the leaders of the Donbass republics he had made a decision to carry out a special military operation. The Russian head of state stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories. After the announcement, the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom and some other countries announced they were imposing sanctions on Russian officials and individuals.