French elections: Russian President Vladimir Putin urges Emmanuel Macron to overcome mutual distrust and work together

Russian President Vladimir Putin asked French election winner Emmanuel Macron to bridge differences and work unitedly to counter "growing threat of terrorism and violent extremism".

"The citizens of France entrusted you to lead the country in a difficult period for Europe and for the entire world community. The growing threat of terrorism and violent extremism is accompanied by an escalation of local conflicts and the destabilisation of entire regions," Putin said in a congratulatory telegram released by the Kremlin.

"In these conditions it is especially important toovercome mutual distrust and join forces to ensureinternational stability and security," it said. Further, the Kremlin statement said Putin "confirmed his readiness for constructive joint work on current bilateral, regional and global issues, expressing certainty that this would be in the fundamental interests of the Russian and French people."

"Putin also wished Macron strong health, prosperity andsuccess in such a responsible position at the head of state,"it said.

The Kremlin was believed to be backing Macron's far-right opponent Marine Le Pen, and Putin had even hosted her during a surprise visit to Moscow in the run-up to the vote.

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Tensions had flared up as alleged cyber attacks on Macron's campaign were linked to Moscow and his supporters accused Russian state media of trying to smear the candidate.

Russian and French ties are currently strained as Paris has helped spearhead the West's punitive response to Moscow over the crisis in Ukraine.

Moreover, Russia is also currently dealing with tough economic sanctions imposed by EU over its 2014 seizure of the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine and backing for eastern insurgents in a three-year conflict that has killed some 10,000 people.

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France and Germany have led mediation efforts to end the conflict but a 2015 peace plan they brokered has hit a brickwall. Russia and France are also at odds over the war in Syria where Moscow is flying a bombing campaign in support of leader Bashar al-Assad, who Paris insists must leave power. 

With PTI inputs