The photo of French President Emmanuel Macron talking to his Russian counterpart in Moscow at a long table caused a lot of laughter this week.

On Friday, Moscow confirmed that Macron was kept at a distance from Vladimir Putin at Monday's talks because the French leader did not take the Russian Covid-19 test before their meeting, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, RIA Novosti reported.

 Russian presidential spokesman confirmed that the president had turned down their test which he said they had no problem with because it is normal global practice but that it meant keeping distance.

"There is no politics in this, it does not interfere with negotiations in any way," he said.

"If doctors of the two countries cooperate and mutual testing is done, then it is possible to avoid restrictions as such and make direct contact," Peskov said.