Macron’s visit to Russia ‘not thrown into question’ over Syria – spokesman

Preparations for President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Russia in May are still underway despite an alleged chemical weapons attack in Eastern Ghouta’s town of Douma on April 7, French government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux said on Tuesday. “The official visit has not been thrown into question so far,” he told Europe 1 radio. “There is the need to hold talks if differences arise, which is in line with the principle of multilateralism,” TASS quoted Griveaux as saying. “Isolating one country from another is out of the question. But at the same time, those responsible [for Syrian developments] should be established,” the spokesman said, adding that Turkey, Iran and Russia “have been exerting pressure on the region.” The spokesman also repeated Macron’s statement that “in case a red line is crossed in Syria, the need will arise to take retaliatory actions.”