Macron slams Russian media 'lies' during muscular exchange with Putin at Versailles

French President Emmanuel Macron accused Russian state-sponsored media of employing "lying propaganda" to try and smear his electoral campaign in an angry outburst as he stood alongside Vladimir Putin at Versailles.

The new French premier also threatened an "instant response" from France should chemical weapons be used in Syria in a muscular exchange with his Russian counterpart at Louis XIV's sumptuous palace outside Paris. But the two leaders promised to forge a deeper "partnership" in fighting terrorism.

Fresh from talks with Western leaders at a NATO meeting in Brussels and a G7 summit in Sicily, Mr Macron had promised "demanding dialogue" with the formidable Russian premier - in France to celebrate 300 years of Franco-Russian diplomacy with an exhibition on Tsar Peter the Great.

Mr Putin's visit was the latest test of Mr Macron's diplomatic mettle after the G7 talks in Sicily last week and the NATO summit in Brussels where he turned the tables on Mr Trump by refusing to release the American leader's hand for several seconds during the handshake for the cameras.

After a "frank and direct" tete a tete, the two men emerged into the Gallery of Great Battles, whose paintings chart 15 centuries of French victories, including over the Russians at Austerlitz.

Mr Macron went on to accuse pro-Kremlin news outlets Russia Today and Sputnik of being "organs of influence and propaganda, of lying propaganda" against him in this year's presidential election.

During the fraught campaign, Mr Macron's camp barred the two state-funded Russian media from accessing campaign headquarters, saying they were engaged in a "smear campaign". It also accused the Russians of having a hand in a massive cyberattack on key Macron aides.

Mr Putin declined to comment on the media ban, but brushed off the hacking allegations, saying: "Actions cannot be based on hunches, hunches that are moreover unconfirmed."

He also fended off claims he had sought to influence the electoral outcome by welcoming Mr Macron's far-Right rival Marine Le Pen, whom he appeared to back, during the campaign. 

"That doesn't mean we tried to influence the results of elections, indeed it's almost impossible," he said.

On the conflict in Syria, Mr Macron warned: "A very clear red line exists on our side, the use of chemical weapons by whomever". This, he said, would spark "reprisals and instant response…from the French side", without providing further details. Another was guaranteeing humanitarian access to besieged civilians.

Mr Macron also put Mr Putin on the spot by saying he had promised "the whole truth" about accusations of a crackdown on homosexuals in Chechnya. The Russian president's visit coincided with the arrival in France of the first Chechen gay to be granted asylum from persecution in his home country.

The encounter started with a firm but brief handshake, nothing like Mr Macron's now notorious white-knuckle clasping contest with US president Donald Trump at the Nato summit.

The visit was designed to warm ties between the two countries that remained frosty over the previous administration due to tensions over Syria and Ukraine.

Mr Macron said: "Our absolute priority is the fight against terrorism and the eradication of terrorist groups and Daesh (Isil) in particular".

"It's the guiding principle of our action in Syria and in which I want... for us to be able to strengthen our partnership with Russia."

Mr Macron said he favoured "a democratic transition" in Syria that would "preserve the Syrian state" to avoid chaos.

Russia is a strong supporter of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad whereas, as Putin adviser Yuri Ushakov said before the visit, France "is among the countries with a very severe stance towards (Assad's) regime".

Both leaders were also agreed the time was right for a new round of peace talks on Ukraine, Mr Macron confirmed.

They hoped to start talks under the "Normandy format" which groups the leaders of Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine, in days or weeks".

Government forces have been battling Moscow-backed insurgents in eastern Ukraine for over three years.

Western powers charge Russia with failing to honour its commitments under the Minsk accords framework for ending the hostilities.

France helped spearhead sanctions against Russia, which have seriously dented EU-Russia trade.

After his election, Mr Putin urged the new French president to "overcome mutual distrust" and "join forces to ensure international stability and security" in a phone call.

The visit came seven months after Mr Putin cancelled a trip to Paris for the opening of a Russian cathedral complex near the Eiffel Tower in a spat over Syria with Mr Hollande, who had said Russia's bombing of Aleppo could amount to war crimes.

After the Versailles talks, Mr Putin was due visit the Paris Orthodox cathedral complex on his own.