Emmanuel Macron refused to take COVID test before meeting Putin in Russia: Report
Emmanuel Macron was kept apart from Vladimir Putin during their meeting because the French leader refused to take a Russian COVID-19 test before their meeting.
- World News
- 3 min read
Earlier this week, images of French President Emmanuel Macron conversing with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, across an oddly long table in Moscow garnered international attention. Moscow confirmed on February 11 that Emmanuel Macron was kept apart from Vladimir Putin during their meeting on Monday because the French leader refused to take a COVID-19 test in Russia prior to their meeting, Sputnik reported.
Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin, stated that the Kremlin was aware of France's position and had been guided by the necessity to protect Putin at the meeting, which took place at opposite ends of a four-metre-long table, according to the local media reports. He said that this was unrelated to politics and that it had no bearing on the talks.
According to individuals familiar with Macron's health routine, Macron was given the option of accepting a PCR test conducted by Russian officials or adhering to strict social separation, Sputnik reported. The French President has been in the forefront of diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions between Ukraine and Russia, saying after their meeting on Monday that the next few days will be important.
Biden asks US citizens to flee Ukraine, warning that things might get "crazy quickly"
However, his pledge of de-escalation has not been fulfilled, with Russia beginning 10 days of military training in Belarus on Thursday and alarming Kyiv by sending warships to the Black Sea. Near the border, Russia has gathered around 130,000 troops. Western countries are concerned that Russia may invade its neighbour soon, with US President Joe Biden asking for US citizens to flee Ukraine on Friday, warning that things might get "crazy quickly."
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After five hours of talks between the two presidents, French authorities said that Putin had promised not to launch any new "military initiatives," according to the French media reports. Moscow, on the other hand, quickly dismissed the charges. "This is wrong in its essence," Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov stated. He further added that, "Moscow and Paris couldn’t do any deals. It’s simply impossible. France is a leading country in the EU, France is a member of Nato, but Paris is not the leader there."
Following his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Macron travelled to Kyiv to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and then to Berlin for a summit with German and Polish leaders. He wasn't the only one concerned about Russia's security.