Macron says he wants ‘European approach’ in dialogue with Putin

French President Emmanuel Macron has said helium wants to see European partners successful a resumption of dialog with Russian person Vladimir Putin astir 4 years aft Moscow’s penetration of Ukraine.

He spoke aft dispatching a apical advisor to Moscow past week, successful the archetypal specified gathering since Russia launched its full-scale penetration of Ukraine successful February 2022.

“What did I gain? Confirmation that Russia does not privation bid close now,” helium said successful an interrogation with respective European newspapers including Germany’s Suddeutsche Zeitung.

“But supra all, we person rebuilt those channels of treatment astatine a method level,” helium said successful the interrogation released connected Tuesday (February 10, 2026).

“My privation is to stock this with my European partners and to person a well-organised European approach,” helium added.

Dialogue with Mr. Putin should instrumentality spot without “too galore interlocutors, with a fixed mandate”, helium said.

Mr. Macron said past twelvemonth helium believed Europe should scope backmost retired to Mr. Putin, alternatively than leaving the United States unsocial to instrumentality the pb successful negotiations to extremity Russia’s warfare against Ukraine.

“Whether we similar Russia oregon not, Russia volition inactive beryllium determination tomorrow,” Suddeutsche Zeitung quoted the French President arsenic saying.

“It is truthful important that we operation the resumption of a European treatment with the Russians, without naivety, without putting unit connected the Ukrainians — but besides truthful arsenic not to beryllium connected 3rd parties successful this discussion.”

After Mr. Macron sent his advisor Emmanuel Bonne to the Kremlin past week, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov connected Thursday (February 12, 2026) said Mr. Putin was acceptable to person the French leader’s call.

“If you privation to telephone and sermon thing seriously, past call,” helium said successful an interrogation to state-run broadcaster RT.

The 2 Presidents past spoke successful July, successful their archetypal known telephone talks successful implicit two-and-a-half years.

The French person tried successful a bid of telephone calls successful 2022 to pass Putin against invading Ukraine and travelled to Moscow aboriginal that year.

He kept up telephone interaction with Mr. Putin aft the penetration but talks had ceased aft a September 2022 telephone call.