French President Emmanuel Macron refused a request by the Russian Government that he take a Russian COVID-19 test when he arrived to see President Vladimir Putin this week, resulting in the two leaders having a socially-distanced meeting.
The Russian and French leaders held lengthy talks on the Ukraine crisis in Moscow.
Reuters reported two sources who have knowledge of the French president’s health protocol as saying that the Macron team refused the Russian COVID-19 test to prevent Russia from getting hold of Macron’s DNA.
Putin and Macron were photographed at opposite ends of a table so long raising speculation that Putin might be using it to send a message.
Macron was reportedly given a choice: either accept a PCR test done by the Russian authorities and be allowed to get close to Putin or refuse and have to abide by more stringent social distancing. Said a Reuters source:
We knew very well that meant no handshake and that long table. But we could not accept that they get their hands on the president’s DNA.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Macron had declined the test and said Russia had no problem with this.
He added that Macron’s refusal to be tested for COVID-19 by Russian doctors meant that a 6-metre distance from Putin was required in order to protect the Kremlin leader’s health.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, three days after Macron and Putin had their socially-distanced meeting, the Russian leader received Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
The two leaders shook hands, and sat close to each other, divided only by a small coffee table.
