Just a week after he assumed the office as the newest president of France, emmanuel macron attended the G7 and Nato summits where he met Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump.
Macron appeals to Putin on 'gay purge.'
The French leader is known for being an advocate of parity and equality. Hence, Macron, as expected, raised the issue of "gay purge" in Chechnya during his meeting with Putin.
It was reported earlier this month that a process called "gay purge" is being observed in the Russian republic. The operation includes a "brutal crackdown" on gay people who are being detained, tortured, and denied of US visas.
Further reports stated at least three individuals have already died since the activity was first reported in April. Activists claimed about a hundred Chechens are currently behind bars at a detention center located near the town of Argun.
Also this month, three gay rights groups accused the Chechen Republic of having a "gay genocide" policy and even filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court. During their meeting, Macron requested Putin to look into the issue and to uphold the rights of the LGBT community.
The newly installed French leader also promised that his government would also do its part in investigating the matter, while Putin said he has already come up with a number of initiatives to address the problem and to help the minorities in the Russian republic.
Macron's 'tense handshake' with Trump
After going viral for his brewing bromance with Canada's Justin Trudeau, Macron caught the attention of the netizens for his seemingly aggressive handshake with Trump during their meeting in Brussels for the Nato summit.
When he was asked about the encounter, the French leader compared Trump to Putin and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan for seeing "international relationships" as a balance of power.
Macron also explained his tense handshake with the US president which he said "wasn't innocent" but described it as the "moment of truth." The 39-year-old leader added his interaction with Trump has proven that he is not a "pushover."
In fact, the American leader, who is known for his dominant handshakes, was the first to let go of Macron's tight grip.
Previously, Trump caught Shinzo Abe off guard when the former gave the Japanese leader an aggressive handshake during their February meeting. The US president, however, commended the Japanese leader for his "strong hands."
