Kremlin outlines conditions for talks with Macron
Russian President Vladimir Putin is open to dialogue with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, but only if it is conducted respectfully and serves a clear purpose, spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.
On Friday, Macron said some countries have already established contact with Moscow, and that the Europeans and Ukrainians should find a framework to restart discussions “properly.” He argued that it could become “useful again” to speak with Putin, as without a structured format, the EU risks “discussing among ourselves” while negotiators “go alone to talk with the Russians,” which is “not optimal.”
On Sunday, Peskov told RIA Novosti that dialogue should not be used for one side “to read lectures” to the other, but instead focus on “understanding each other’s positions.”
“Putin is always ready to explain his positions in detail, sincerely and consistently,” the spokesman added.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Putin has repeatedly stressed that he is open to dialogue, but only with “polite people with some elementary skills of decency.”
Macron spoke after an EU summit this week failed to agree on using frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine due to internal divisions, and instead backed a €90 billion ($105 billion) loan raised on capital markets to finance Ukraine’s widening budget gap. While the move was hailed as a breakthrough, several EU states opted out of the funding plan.
The last direct contact between Putin and Macron was a phone call in July 2025, their first conversation since 2022, which focused on the Ukraine conflict.
