French Foreign Minister explains purpose of Macron’s renewed contacts with Putin
European countries do not rule out the possibility of direct contacts with Russia to protect their own interests.
According to Censor.NET, this was stated in an interview with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot to the publication Libération.
The French Foreign Minister emphasized that dialogue is only possible under clear conditions. This involves full coordination of actions with Ukraine and European partners.
France's position on possible contacts
Barro explained that Paris had never ruled out the possibility of negotiations in principle. At the same time, such contacts must be transparent and beneficial to European security.
"France has not ruled out dialogue with Russia, provided there is complete transparency with Ukraine," the minister said.
He stressed that Europe must participate in processes that directly concern it. This is necessary to ensure that decisions are not made without European involvement.
Contacts with the Kremlin and previous experience
Barro added that European states must maintain their own channel of communication with Russia. Europe remains Ukraine's key financial and military ally.
It should be noted that Macron's last direct contact with Putin took place in early 2022. At that time, the French president visited Moscow in an attempt to achieve diplomatic de-escalation.
The parties discussed reducing tensions around Ukraine. However, no real agreements were reached. Less than a week later, Russia launched a full-scale invasion.
- Earlier, Macron announced his intention to restore contacts with Putin in the near future.
- Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called the French president's statement a publicity stunt.
