MOSCOW (Sputnik) — French Prime Minister Manuel Valls on Thursday asked former President Nicolas Sarkozy, currently visiting Moscow, not to compromise the position of French authorities on the question of foreign policy.
Sarkozy, the current leader of France's right-wing The Republicans party, arrived in Moscow on Wednesday night on an unofficial visit to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and is expected to return to France on Friday. Putin said earlier on Thursday he was glad to discuss recent international developments and Russian-French relations with the former French president.
"We need unity. It is also an element of strength, of credibility for France from the outside," Valls added.
Nicolas Sarkozy was president of France from 2007 to 2012. Sarkozy retired from political life following his defeat in the 2012 presidential election. In September 2014, Sarkozy announced his return to politics as a member of opposition.