Information
Emmanuel Macron said France is preparing to resume dialogue with Vladimir Putin to rebuild a European communication channel independent of the United States. Speaking during a visit to northeastern France, he emphasized that these efforts are being made transparently and in consultation with Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European allies, though he gave no timeline. Macron stressed that while France continues to strongly support Ukraine, maintaining contact with Moscow is necessary to eventually negotiate security guarantees after the war.
At the same time, Macron expressed skepticism about Russia’s willingness to reach a peace agreement in the near future, pointing to ongoing attacks on civilians and energy infrastructure as evidence of bad faith. He recalled earlier diplomatic efforts in early 2022 to prevent the invasion, noting that EU–Russia dialogue has since been largely frozen and replaced by sanctions and travel restrictions. However, the Kremlin said in January that renewed calls for dialogue from European leaders, including Macron, were viewed positively.
Source: France24, AFP, AP
So What
It is highly likely that this move is intended both to restore Europe’s influence in negotiations and to help ensure that Ukraine is not pushed into an unfavorable settlement. Although Emmanuel Macron previously maintained a relatively strong relationship with Vladimir Putin before the war, their ties have deteriorated significantly since the invasion. Nevertheless, despite this decline, Macron is still arguably the best-positioned European leader to attempt to rebuild dialogue with Putin and reestablish a channel for meaningful engagement.
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