Russia's Putin, France's Macron Discuss Iran Nuclear Deal - Kremlin

BELGIUM -- French President Emmanuel Macron attends a news conference after the European Union leaders summit, in Brussels, Belgium, July 2, 2019

MOSCOW, July 18 (Reuters)

Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the 2015 Iran nuclear deal as well as the conflict in eastern Ukraine, the Kremlin said on Thursday.

France is trying to ease tensions after the United States pulled out of the nuclear agreement last year. Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany remain parties to the deal.

"Both sides underlined that the (nuclear deal) is the most important factor for ensuring security in the Middle East and maintaining the nuclear non-proliferation regime," the Kremlin said in a statement.

(Reporting by Polina Ivanova; writing by Tom Balmforth; editing by Angus MacSwan)