Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday that the publication of a call between President Emmanuel Macron and Russian leader Vladimir Putin was a breach of "diplomatic etiquette."
"Diplomatic etiquette does not provide for unilateral leaks of (such) recordings," Lavrov said on a trip to Vietnam.
The details of the confidential call days before Moscow's military operation in Ukraine were revealed by the broadcaster France 2 in a documentary on the French president's handling of the conflict.
Lavrov said Russia had nothing to be ashamed of from the content of the conversation between the two leaders.
"We in principle lead negotiations in such a way that we never have anything to be ashamed of. We always say what we think and are ready to answer for these words and explain our position," he said.
Lavrov is on a two-day visit to Vietnam, on the tenth anniversary of the two nations' "comprehensive strategic partnership."
Vietnam, historically close to Moscow, has so far declined to outright condemn Russia's military intervention in Ukraine.
… we have a small favor to ask. As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.
Remind me later.
