Mr Putin had been due to visit Paris on October 19 to open a new Russian Orthodox cathedral and visit a Russian art exhibition in the French capital.

French diplomatic sources said the Kremlin pulled out after Mr Hollande refused to discuss anything at a planned bilateral meeting other than the Syrian crisis.

"There were contacts between the Kremlin and the Elysee this morning to offer to Putin a working visit on Syria, but excluding all other events that President Hollande could have taken part in," a source told Reuters.