Kremlin Comments on Fillon's Call for Broad Int'l Anti-Terror Coalition

Moscow shares the viewpoint of French presidential candidate, former Prime Minister Francois Fillon, about the need to create an international coalition to fight terrorism, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Fillon said earlier in the day that he would propose a diplomatic initiative for the establishment of an international counterterrorism coalition with the participation of Russia and the United States.

"This corresponds in many respects to the view that dominates in Moscow. We… reported today that during today's meeting with the permanent members of the [Russian] Security Council, it was noted that there is no alternative to international cooperation, without which the fight against terrorism cannot be really effective," Peskov told reporters.

On September 28, 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the UN General Assembly for the first time in over a decade during its anniversary 70th session in New York. The president touched upon the key issues on the international agenda, putting a main focus on the fight against terrorism. During the speech, the Russian leader called for the creation of a broad coalition to fight terrorism for the first time.

Later, he and other Russian officials continued to call for creating a united front against terrorism.

The first round of the French presidential elections is scheduled for this Sunday, while the run-off is set for May 7.