MOSCOW, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and his French counterpart Sebastien Lecornu discussed Ukraine peace negotiations and the recent terrorist attack in Moscow in a telephone conversation on Wednesday.
In the conversation, Lecornu expressed his condolences to Shoigu for the terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall concert venue in late March, which left a total of 144 people dead, according to a statement from the Russian Defense Ministry.
The French defense minister also tried to convince Shoigu that Ukraine and Western countries were not involved in the attack.
Shoigu emphasized that the ongoing investigation into the terrorist attack would be thorough to ensure that all responsible parties are held accountable.
The two defense chiefs also talked about the readiness for dialogue on the Ukraine conflict, the statement said.
"The starting points could be based on the Istanbul peace initiative. Holding a meeting in Geneva without Russia's participation is pointless," it said.
Regarding remarks from the Elysee Palace about deploying a French contingent to Ukraine, Shoigu warned that such actions could create problems for France itself. ■
