France’s Macron says he drew ‘red line’ in Putin talks

French President Emmanuel Macron says after talks with President Vladimir Putin of Russia that he believes they can work together on Syria and that he wants to forge a reinforced partnership against the Islamic State group.

Macron says he wants a democratic transition in Syria, but not at the cost of the war-torn country becoming a failed state.

After talks with Putin at the Palace of Versailles that ran far longer than planned on Monday, Macron says the use of chemical weapons in Syria was a “red line” for France.

He says any use of such weapons in Syria would lead to “reprisals” from France — without specifying exactly what form they would take.

Macron says he also spoke to Putin about LGBT rights in Chechnya and about NGOs in Russia.

He vows to be “constantly vigilant on these issues.”

— AP