Russia's Shoigu Discusses Anti-Terror Fight in Syria With France's Le Drian

The Russian defense minister has talked with the French foreign minister on the efforts to combat terrorism in war-torn Syria.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu held talks with the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian during his visit to Moscow, with a focus on the fight against terrorism in Syria and European security.

"I would like to exchange opinions with you on the issues of combating terrorism in Syria and European security… Too many questions have accumulated in our bilateral relations, as well as in the world affairs with regard to the fight against terrorism," Shoigu told the French minister.

Shoigu reminded that two years had passed since their last meeting, when Le Drian was holding a defense minister post, calling it "too long" for countries like Russia and France.

"The world has not become more calmer and more stable, but we have every opportunity to make it so, especially what concerns the fight against terrorism," he added.

On May 29, the Russian President Putin met with his newly elected French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on his visit to Paris. Upon bilateral negotiations in Versailles that the Russian leader characterized as 'honest,' Macron noted that "none of the most important challenges today can be resolved without dialogue with Russia."