Paris, July 9 -- The head of France's General Directorate for External Security (DGSE) Nicolas Lerner has said that he has not severed contacts with the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) and maintains ties despite the Ukraine conflict.
"When diplomatic channels were closed, . I had the opportunity, on several occasions, to speak with [SVR Director] Sergei Naryshkin," Lerner told the LCI broadcaster on Tuesday, adding that he spoke with Naryshkin just recently.
France's intelligence chief specified that channels of communication with Russia have been maintained at the request of French President Emmanuel Macron.
Last week, Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a phone conversation, which the Kremlin called "substantive....