Europe needs to work with Russia for security and to bring peace into the entire European continent, the ambassador said.
The ambassador isn't happy that recently Russia has lessened its cooperation with Western countries in the fields of education and science. In this day and age, globalization has reached a level at which Russians should understand that the world without Europe doesn't make sense, Ripert told RBK.
Russia and France have several hundred years of cooperation and under no circumstances the tradition should stop, Ripert said.
"There were instances of war, but we often fought together for freedom of Europe. France hasn't forgotten that and will never forget Russia's contribution to the liberation of Europe and France during two World Wars," Ribert told RBK.
Relations between Russia and France plummeted in 2014, after Western countries accused Russia of interfering in the Ukrainian conflict. Russia has repeatedly denied the accusations.
