Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday the world should never allow a repetition of the genocide of more than 1 million Armenians 100 years ago during a commemoration ceremony in the Armenian capital.

"There can be no justification for mass murder," Putin said in an address in Yerevan.

Putin and his French President Francois Hollande attended the event hosted by Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.

Putin and Hollande are scheduled to meet later for bilateral talks in Yerevan. A defence deal suspended by France over Russia's role in the conflict in eastern Ukraine will be high on the agenda, Hollande has said.