Macron: Europe will have to interact directly with Putin, not through US
French President Emmanuel Macron said that Europe must find its own way to engage in direct dialogue with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, rather than relying on US mediation in peace talks on Ukraine.
This was reported by Censor.NET with reference to Bloomberg.
"Either a lasting peace will be achieved, or we will find ways for Europeans to resume dialogue with Russia—in transparency and association with Ukraine. It will be useful to talk to Vladimir Putin again," said the French president.
Macron spoke after European Union leaders announced on December 19 that they had agreed to grant Ukraine a €90 billion loan, abandoning the idea of confiscating frozen Russian assets.
He also stressed that Europe demands its own place at the negotiating table regarding the war in Ukraine. Currently, according to him, the peace process has been largely taken over by the US, but it remains unclear whether Russia is ready to end the war.
"We, Europeans and Ukrainians, are interested in finding the right structure for proper restoration of participation in this discussion. Otherwise, we will discuss this among ourselves with negotiators, who will then go and discuss it with the Russians on their own. This is not ideal," Macron said.
What preceded it?
- On Thursday, December 18, European Union leaders failed to reach an agreement on the use of frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine.
- According to DW, Belgium, Hungary, Slovakia, Italy, Bulgaria, Malta, and the Czech Republic opposed the proposed mechanism.
- Subsequently, the EU decided to provide Ukraine with €90 billion in 2026–2027 to support the country's economy, defense, and stability.
