Macron Told Putin Coalition to Continue Fighting Terror in Syria - Elysee Palace

15:53 GMT, 2 January 2019

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - French President Emmanuel Macron said in a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin that the fight against terrorism in Syria was not over yet and would be continued within the framework of the US-led coalition, according to the Elysee Palace.

Sputnik

"The president of the [French] Republic recalled that France's priority in Syria was the fight against terrorism in order to eradicate the Islamic State [Daesh* in Arabic] and counteract any resurgence of terrorism in the region. This fight is not over yet and continues on the ground within the framework of international coalition," the Elysee Palace said in a press release on Wednesday.

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The statement comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron have discussed by phone settlement to the Syrian crisis. Two leaders also discussed the Ukrainian conflict and Ukrainian provocation carried out in the Kerch Strait.

On December 23, commenting on the US decision to withdraw troops from Syria, Macron said that France will retain its military presence in the Levant region.

Earlier in the month, the White House announced that the United States began the pullout of its forces from Syria, but stressed that it did not mean the end of the US-led international coalition's fight against the Daesh.

*Daesh (the Islamic State/IS) is a terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries.