Russian President Vladimir Putin is to meet French President Emmanuel Macron in France on May 29, Western media cited French officials as saying. Reports Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
The French news agency AFP cited an unnamed official as saying on May 22 that Macron is to host Putin at the Palace of Versailles outside Paris.
Reuters cited an official in Macron’s office as saying the visit would include the inauguration of an exhibition at Versailles marking 300 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
Macron won the presidency in a May 7 runoff against far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who has expressed admiration for Putin and opposed sanctions against Russia over its aggression in Ukraine.
The French election was held amid concern over meddling by Russia following U.S. intelligence officials’ conclusion that Putin ordered a hacking and propaganda campaign to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
An Internet security firm said in a report last month that Macron’s campaign was targeted in cyberattacks bearing the hallmarks of a hacking outfit that intelligence officials say is a branch of Russia’s espionage apparatus.
Putin and Macron discussed the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria in a phone call last week.
