Sending French troops to Ukraine would create problems for Paris: Shoigu-UPDATED

Russia's defence ministry said on Wednesday talks between the Russian and French defence ministers showed "readiness for dialogue on Ukraine", APA reports citing Reuters.

Russia said the French side had requested the call. A spokesperson for France's defence ministry said it was the first call between the two ministers since October 2022 - eight months after the Kremlin ordered the invasion of Ukraine.

"Readiness for a dialogue on Ukraine was noted," the Russian Defence Ministry said in its account of the call between Sergei Shoigu and French Armed Forces Minister Sebastien Lecornu. It said a starting point for discussions could be the 2022 talks between the two sides in Türkiye which ended without results.

The statement said Shoigu noted any "practical implementation" of French President Emmanuel Macron's suggestion last month of sending troops to Ukraine would "create problems for France."

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French Armed Forces Minister Sebastien Lecornu had held talks on Wednesday with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu, Lecornu's office said in a statement, APA reports citing Reuters.

It was the first call between the two leaders since October 2022, a spokesperson of France's defence ministry said.

Lecornu in the call also expressed France's solidarity with the victims of last month's attack by gunmen in Moscow which killed more than 100 people, his office stated.