Russia has summoned the French ambassador to Moscow over a recent aviation incident in France where a French fighter jet reportedly approached a Russian plane carrying top legislators.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday that it had summoned Jean-Maurice Ripert to demand “explanations regarding a dangerous near collision” of a French Air Force jet with a Russian diplomatic plane.

The plane reportedly carried a parliamentary delegation headed by Chairman of the State Duma Sergey Naryshkin. The delegation was on its way to Geneva to attend the 133rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union when the plane crossed the French national airspace.

The Monday statement said Russian officials expressed deep concern over the incident, saying such acts could seriously tarnish the image of France as a country where high-level talks and negotiations could  be held.

“It was stressed that such actions undermine the possibility of using France as the venue for multilateral meetings and negotiations,” it said.

Officials in France, however, have denied any wrongdoing, saying no French fighter jets were involved in the alleged harassment. They said the plane belonged to Switzerland and the suspicion may have emerged due to the fact that Geneva’s airport is located not far from Switzerland’s border with France.

Russia and France have been at odds over Moscow’s military involvement in Syria, with Paris questioning Moscow's fight against the Daesh Takfiri group. French fighter jets are also playing a part in the Syrian skies as part of the US-led coalition against Daesh, although Russia and Syria suspect the effectiveness of the military involvement.