Brussels – French President Emmanuel Macron stated Thursday that initiating a dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin is not an immediate priority, emphasizing the need for a coordinated European approach. “It’s not a question of days, we are preparing things,” Macron said following an informal summit in Belgium, according to reports from Le Figaro and TF1 Info.
Macron underscored the importance of European unity in formulating a strategy before engaging with Putin. “I feel we must now work on ourselves, on what we seek to ask for,” he stated. He added that preparations for discussions must be undertaken collectively by European nations to ensure readiness “at the right moment.”
The French President outlined key objectives for any potential dialogue, including security guarantees for Ukraine and considerations for European interests. He specifically mentioned “questions of prosperity, the future of our Europe and the architecture of security” as priorities, as reported by Le Télégramme and DHnet.
Macron’s comments follow his announcement in December of his intention to re-establish direct communication with Putin, a channel largely severed due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. He dispatched his diplomatic advisor to Moscow earlier this month to lay the groundwork for such talks. Though, Macron cautioned that initial “technical” contacts indicated Russia currently does not appear to be seeking a peaceful resolution, as he stated on February 10th.
The Kremlin has offered a contrasting assessment. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, indicated that Russia has not detected any genuine French initiative to resume high-level dialogue, despite recent contacts between Moscow and Paris.
Macron reiterated his desire for a “well-organized” dialogue with Putin, involving Europeans but limiting the number of intermediaries, according to Le Figaro. The President’s remarks suggest a deliberate and cautious approach, prioritizing internal European alignment before re-engaging with Moscow.
