Macron says he is engaging European leaders in efforts to restore contact with Putin

French President Emmanuel Macron has said he has approached several European leaders with a proposal to join efforts to restore direct dialogue with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

As reported by Süddeutsche Zeitung, Macron explained that his intention to resume direct contact with Russia is linked to a new phase of the war in Ukraine, as the sides have begun peace negotiations.

He believes Europeans should not rely solely on the United States for dialogue with Russia, as the future of their continent is at stake.

"My reasoning is very simple: do we want to delegate discussion of this issue to others? Our geographical position will not change, whether we like Russia or not, Russia will still be there tomorrow... Therefore, it is important that we structure the resumption of European discussions with Russia, without naivety, without pressure on Ukrainians, but also without depending on third parties in these discussions," Macron replied.

Against this background, the French president proposed that several of his European counterparts join him in efforts to restore dialogue with the Kremlin.

"For some, it's too early to send their diplomatic advisers, as we have done," Macron said, effectively confirming reports of technical-level contact with Russia.

Last week, it emerged that Emmanuel Bonne, Macron's diplomatic adviser, had travelled to Moscow for talks with Russian officials. At the time, the French presidency neither confirmed nor denied the visit.

Macron also argued that Europe's position in negotiations with Russia should be represented by a limited number of delegates. He stressed that such dialogue is essential; otherwise, European interests would be decided by the United States.

The French president said any future peace would directly affect Europe and argued that Europeans should not allow American envoys to negotiate on their behalf on issues such as the timing of Ukraine's accession to the European Union.

In December, Macron said Europeans should resume direct talks with Putin. European leaders, wary of Russia's military ambitions, have expressed frustration at being excluded from peace negotiations led by the administration of US President Donald Trump.

In February, Macron told journalists that efforts to restore dialogue with Putin were ongoing at a technical level and that such interactions were being coordinated with Ukraine.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he supports the idea of dialogue with Russia, provided that such engagements do not interfere with negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.