Putin, Macron discuss Syria, preparations for French leader’s visit to Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Friday discussed by phone preparations for the French leader’s upcoming visit to Russia, the Kremlin press service said. Putin also briefed Macron on the results of his recent meeting with representatives of big French businesses. The French leader is expected to participate in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in May. The two heads of state also expressed interest in advancing the Geneva intra-Syrian talks based on the outcome of the Syrian National Dialogue Congress, TASS reported. The issue was part of a discussion on the prospects for resolving the Syrian crisis through political means, according to the Kremlin.