Macron to visit Russia despite diplomatic spat
Paris March 29 (IANS) French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Russia in May despite differences revolving around a former Russian agent s poisoning Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Thursday.
"For the moment the trip is planned " Le Drian told RTL radio.
At the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin Macron is scheduled to participate in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum being held from May 24-26 Xinhua news agency reported.
"We must have a frank dialogue with Russia. We want to maintain it but it is a dialogue on which we need a lot of clarity " Le Drian said.
Earlier this week France asked four Russian diplomats to leave the country within a week in response to former Russian agent Sergei Skripal s poisoning in Britain.
On March 4 Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found unconscious on a bench in a shopping centre in the southern city of Salisbury.
Macron s office said on March 15 that France agreed with Britain that Russia was responsible for the poisoning. Russia however has denied any involvement in the poisoning incident.
--IANS
and/soni/bg
