Not seeking to influence presidential race in France: Putin on meeting Le Pen

Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Kremlin is not seeking to influence the presidential race in France, but has the right to meet with representatives of the country`s political parties.

Putin said this during his meeting with Frances presidential candidate Marine Le Pen on Friday in Moscow."We do not want to influence the events (the French presidential election) in anyway, but we have the right to maintain contact with all representatives of the country`s political forces, like our partners do, for example in Europe and in the United States," TASS news agency quoted Putin as saying during the meeting.

"We attach great importance to our ties with France, and we try to maintain equal relations both with representatives of the current authorities and the opposition," he added.

The French politician, who is in Moscow at the invitation of Russian lawmakers, noted that the two sides have deep cultural, economic and strategic ties.