French ex-president says he has always been a friend of Vladimir Putin

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who arrived with a sudden visit in Moscow, said on Thursday that he had always considered himself as a friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin, since the Russian president was capable of engaging in dialogue even in the face of disagreements, Sputnik News reports.

"You, the Russians, are living here and cannot even imagine how great is your prestige and how your image has changed on the global stage. Russia has again become a powerful nation, Russia knows its place on the international arena and knows its fate. Finally, I would like to say that I have always been Vladimir Putin's friend, because he is a person with whom you can talk even despite disagreements," Sarkozy said at a

Pre-New Year reception of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF).