Paris welcomes Moscow’s readiness to engage in high-level dialogue
The response follows remarks made by French President Emmanuel Macron, who recently said the European Union should be prepared to “reengage” with Russia and open direct communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Moscow later reacted favorably to that appeal.
“It is welcome that the Kremlin has publicly agreed to this approach. We will decide in the coming days on the best way to proceed,” the French presidency said in a statement issued Sunday.
Earlier, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reiterated that Putin remains open to discussions with his French counterpart, but stressed that any potential exchange must have a defined objective and should not be used for one side “to read lectures” to the other, as stated by reports.
“Putin is always ready to explain his positions in detail, sincerely and consistently,” Peskov added.
The two leaders last spoke by phone in July, marking their first direct contact since early 2022, when the conflict in Ukraine intensified.
Macron’s call for renewed engagement came after a recent EU summit failed to reach agreement on a plan to use approximately €210 billion ($246 billion) in frozen Russian assets as collateral for a so-called reparations loan to Ukraine. The proposal collapsed after months of discussion, largely due to firm opposition from Belgium, which holds a significant portion of the frozen assets.
Instead, EU leaders approved a €90 billion ($105 billion) loan raised through capital markets to help cover Ukraine’s growing budget shortfall. However, several member states declined to participate, signaling continued divisions within the bloc over further financial support for Kiev.
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