The presidents of France and Russia have discussed holding a video-summit of key UN Security Council members as the world battles the coronavirus pandemic, the Kremlin said Friday.

Vladimir Putin has suggested several times that leaders of Britain, China, France, Russia, and the United States discuss the pandemic that has killed more than 145,000 people.

In a phone call, Putin and Emmanuel Macron "discussed the possibility of organising a working meeting of leaders of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council in the form of a video conference," a Kremlin statement said.

It added that Macron had expressed thanks for Russian help in getting French citizens back home during the pandemic and ensuring the transportation of medical supplies across Russian territory.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has "agreed to closely cooperate" on summit preparations with US counterpart Mike Pompeo, the Russian foreign ministry said after the two spoke by phone.

Last week, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged the Security Council to support efforts to stem COVID-19, calling it the "fight of a generation".

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