French public deficit and debt in 2013 were higher than previous government estimates, official data showed on Monday, dealing a fresh blow to President Francois Hollande a day after disastrous local polls.

French public deficit stood at 4.3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), compared with 4.9 percent the previous year, according to data released by the INSEE statistics agency. Previous government estimates said it would stand at 4.1 percent.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday called for Russia to pull back its forces from the borders of Ukraine, and said any talks on the country's future must include Kiev's leaders.

"We will not accept a path forward where the legitimate government of Ukraine is not at the table. This principle is clear. No decisions about Ukraine without Ukraine," Kerry told reporters.

The European Union on Saturday signaled that it is ready to deploy its delayed peacekeeping force to help put down the escalating crisis in Central African Republic, after obtaining additional backing for the mission.

The troops were due to deploy last week, but there were insufficient soldiers for the mission and not enough aircraft at hand to transport them.

French voters went to the polls Sunday for a second round of local elections following a first round last week that saw the far right make sharp gains against President Francois Holland's ruling socialists.

With the Socialists facing a drubbing, Hollande is expected to react by ordering major changes at the top of his beleaguered government. Popular Interior Minister Manuel Valls is widely tipped to replace current Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault.

France's political world is braced for a shake-up this weekend with a second round of nationwide local elections set to result in heavy losses for the ruling Socialists and breakthrough advances by the far right.

President Francois Hollande is tipped to react by ordering a cabinet reshuffle that could see Barcelona-born Interior Minister Manuel Valls installed as Prime Minister.

An embarrassed French minister has apologized to the head chef at the Elysee Palace after she was caught on camera describing the food at a China-France state dinner as "revolting".

Trade Minister Nicole Bricq was caught out after saying the meal served to Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the state banquet on Wednesday night was not up to scratch, unaware that microphones were picking up her comments.

French President Francois Hollande is to co-chair a "mini-summit" of 15 European and 15 African nations in Brussels on Wednesday over the escalating crisis in the Central African Republic.

EU officials said Friday that the talks would be held ahead of a wider EU-Africa summit starting Wednesday afternoon that is to gather 90 nations from both continents and include 65 heads of state and government.

European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Thursday sounded a strong note of alarm over the escalation of violence in recent days in the capital of the Central African Republic.

"I am alarmed by the deteriorating situation in Bangui and the escalation of violence there since March 22," she said.

French President Francois Hollande told his ministers Wednesday they needed to "learn a lesson" from the Socialists' poor showing in local elections, the government spokeswoman said.

Last Sunday's first round of local elections saw Hollande's Socialists and their allies take only 38 percent of the vote, nine points behind center-right parties.

Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji stressed on Monday that the battle against terrorism and terrorists is open, expressing relief over the measures implemented along the Syrian-Lebanese border.

“Terrorism threatens all the Lebanese without any exception,” Qahwaji pointed out in comments published in As Safir newspaper.