French President Emmanuel Macron held his first phone call in three years with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, a conversation the Kremlin called "substantial", writes Euronews.

Macron`s office, the Élysée Palace, said in a statement that the call, their first since September 2022, lasted two hours and that Macron had called for a ceasefire in Ukraine and the opening of negotiations to end the conflict.

Putin reiterated his position to Macron that the war in Ukraine was "a direct consequence of the West`s policy", which he said had "ignored Russia`s security interests".

Any peace agreement between Moscow and Kyiv should include a "comprehensive and long-term character" and be based on "new territorial realities", the Kremlin quoted Putin as saying. Putin has previously said Ukraine must accept Russia`s annexation of swathes of its territory as part of any peace deal. Macron has said only Ukraine should decide on whether or not to cede territory.

During the call, Macron`s office said "the president emphasised France`s unwavering support for Ukraine`s sovereignty and territorial integrity". Macron and Putin aim to continue their discussions on Ukraine and Iran, the Élysée Palace said.

Iran`s nuclear ambitions

The Kremlin press service, quoting Putin, said it was necessary to respect Iran`s right to the peaceful development of its nuclear programme as well as continued compliance with its obligations under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. Macron reportedly also stressed the need for Iran to cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency, his office said. Macron "expressed his determination to seek a diplomatic solution that would lead to a lasting and rigorous resolution of the nuclear issue, the question of Iran`s missiles, and its role in the region", his office said, adding that the two leaders had decided to coordinate efforts.