Vladimir Putin said Thursday that partnership between Russia and France contributed to stability and progress in Europe and the world

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

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"It is inspiring that we have established cooperation in new promising areas, and creating additional stimuli for fostering interregional ties, and encouraging business and public initiatives from our citizens," he said in a telegram to French leader Jacques Chirac to congratulate him on Bastille Day, France's national holiday. "On the whole, we are raising the level and scope of multifaceted bilateral interaction." In the telegram, the text of which was released by the Kremlin press service, Putin expressed confidence that the recent meetings between the two presidents - at the celebrations marking the anniversary of the end of World War II in Moscow this May and at festivities devoted to Kaliningrad's anniversary this July - represented another step toward stronger Russia-French partnership. "[It is] a partnership that serves the interests of our countries, stability and progress in Europe and the world," the Russian leader said. Putin said that Russian people had always been interested in France's cultural and ideological heritage. "Today, the traditional empathy between our peoples, and close links between their historical destinies serve as a basis for the privileged partnership between the two countries," he said. Putin described Bastille Day as "a landmark event" that "is a symbol of the freedom prevailing over tyranny, and that largely predetermined the development of modern civilization, relying on such principles as democracy (popular rule), legality, and respect for human dignity and rights."

Bookmark Vladimir Putin said Thursday that partnership between Russia and France contributed to stability and progress in Europe and the world