Official website of the President of Russia

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The message reads, in part:

“I am sure that your convincing victory will open up new opportunities for the development of bilateral relations because you are known in Russia to be a sincere friend of our country who has done much to strengthen the multi-faceted Russian-French cooperation.

“We see strategic partnership with France as a key factor in international stability and security. The Russian-French Security Council, which we agreed to create at our meeting in Paris in January this year, is expected to play a tangible role in conferring a new quality on our interaction, which you have eloquently described as global partnership.

“We look forward to closer cooperation with France in creating a common European economic space, forming an effective European security system that would guarantee equal security and reliable protection against new threats and challenges of the globalisation era for all Europeans. We appreciate your initiatives in this field.

“I take this opportunity to express the feelings of sympathy and friendship for the French people with which we have many shared pages of history.”