French President Emmanuel Macron said today that in the coming days he will consider how a possible dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin could be launched, Agence France-Presse reported, BTA reported.
Earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Putin was ready for dialogue with Macron. In a statement, the Elysee Palace described this approach as "welcome". "It is good that the Kremlin has given public consent to this step. In the coming days, we will discuss the best way to proceed", the position said.
Macron took steps in this direction after the EU summit in Brussels on Friday. The Elysee Palace stressed that any negotiations with Moscow would be conducted "with full transparency" to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European partners, with the goal remaining to achieve "lasting and sustainable peace" in Ukraine.
"The attack on Ukraine and President Putin's stubbornness have put an end to any possibility of dialogue over the past three years. Once the prospect of a ceasefire and peace negotiations becomes clearer, it becomes useful again to talk to Putin," the Paris position also states.
On Friday, Macron said it would be "useful" Europeans to talk to Putin again, instead of letting the United States lead the negotiations alone.
The last phone call between Macron and Putin was on July 1, their first in three years, and the two leaders only acknowledged their differences.
Meanwhile, talks led by US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner are taking place this weekend in Florida. On one side are Ukrainian and European representatives, and on the other - Russian representative Kirill Dmitriev.
The Kremlin said today that "no preparations" were being made for a joint meeting between US, Ukrainian and Russian representatives.