British News Agency

Macron said last week that it would be “useful” for Europe to engage with Moscow to ensure that a peace deal in Ukraine is not negotiated solely by the United States, Russia and Ukraine.

According to media reports, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday that Russian President Vladimir Putin had expressed his readiness “to enter into dialogue” with Macron on the matter.

The Élysée Palace responded positively. The French presidency said: “The Kremlin’s public endorsement of this approach is welcome. In the coming days we will decide how best to move forward.”

Macron reiterated the point last week at the EU summit in Brussels, saying it would be “useful” for Europe to reach out to Putin to ensure the Ukraine peace deal is not negotiated only by the United States, Russia and Ukraine. Speaking to journalists early Friday morning as the summit ended, Macron said: “I think we Europeans, together with Ukrainians, must find a framework in which we can hold proper talks.”

According to Le Monde, the Élysée Palace stressed that any talks with Russia would take place with “full transparency” alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European allies.

Macron and Putin have rarely been in direct contact since Moscow launched the war in Ukraine in early 2022. Their most recent phone call took place in July after nearly three years without contact.