• Putin accused the West of responsibility for the Ukraine conflict during his call with Macron.
• Macron urged for a ceasefire in Ukraine and emphasized France's support for Ukrainian sovereignty.
• The leaders discussed the risk of nuclear proliferation related to Iran's nuclear program.

In a significant development, Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron held a lengthy phone call on July 1, 2025, marking their first direct communication since September 2022. During the two-hour exchange, Putin asserted, “the Ukrainian conflict is a direct consequence of the policy of Western states,” highlighting Russia's grievances against NATO and Western military support for Ukraine. He insisted that any future peace agreement must be rooted in addressing what he described as the "root causes" of the conflict and acknowledge "new territorial realities," referring to Russia's territorial claims in Ukraine, according to Indiatimes and Reuters.

Macron countered by urging Putin to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine "as soon as possible" and emphasized France's steadfast support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. He expressed hope for launching negotiations aimed at a "solid and lasting settlement" of the ongoing conflict, echoing his administration's position on diplomatic resolution. The French presidency reported these remarks following the call, according to Le Monde and TRT Global.

Additionally, the dialogue included discussions on Iran's nuclear program in light of rising tensions following a recent conflict involving Israel. Macron proposed that both France and Russia work together to de-escalate the situation and insisted on Iran's compliance with the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Putin reaffirmed Iran's right to develop a peaceful nuclear program while both leaders agreed on continuing diplomatic efforts to resolve these issues, as noted in reports from Le Monde and TRT Global.