PARIS: French presidential frontrunner Francois Fillon has known Russian leader Vladimir Putin through good times and bad — and believes that dialogue, not threats, are key to handling the Kremlin strongman.
Fillon, a conservative hoping to clinch the nomination of the Republicans party over the centrist Alain Juppe at the weekend, has taken an overtly dovish approach to Russia during campaigning that has won him praise in Moscow.
On Wednesday, Putin praised the former French prime minister, who won the first round of the rightwing primary, as a “great professional” and “very principled person”.
“Mr Fillon, in my opinion, is very different from …read more
Source: The Manila Times
