Emmanuel Macron and Vladimir Putin on Tuesday spoke by telephone for the first time in over two-and-a-half years, with the French president urging a ceasefire in Ukraine but the Russian leader hitting back that the West was to blame for the conflict.

One week after a ceasefire ended Israel's 12-day war with Iran, the two men also discussed Tehran's nuclear programme, with Macron suggesting Moscow and Paris work together to de-escalate tensions.

Fighting still raged on the ground in Ukraine over three years after Russia's full-scale February 2022 invasion of its neighbour sparked the war, with efforts to agree a ceasefire at a standstill.

Ukrainian drones hit the Russian city of Izhevsk on Tuesday, killing three people and wounding dozens in one of the deepest strikes inside Russia of the conflict, authorities said.

The talks lasted for more than two hours and Macron and Putin agreed to hold more contacts on Ukraine and Iran in the future, the French presidency said.

Macron "emphasised France's unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity" and "called for the establishment, as soon as possible, of a ceasefire and the launch of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia for a solid and........

© International Business Times