Putin open to talks with Macron if conducted respectfully— Peskov

(MENAFN) The Kremlin has signaled that Russian President Vladimir Putin is prepared to engage in talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, provided the exchange is conducted on a respectful basis and has a clearly defined objective, according to official remarks.

Macron said on Friday that several countries have already reopened channels of communication with Moscow and argued that Europe and Ukraine should work toward a structured format to resume discussions “properly.” He said renewed contact could “become useful again,” warning that without an agreed framework the EU risks “discussing among ourselves” while some negotiators “go alone to talk with the Russians,” which he described as “not optimal.”

Commenting on Sunday, Kremlin representatives said any dialogue should avoid situations where one side seeks “to read lectures” to the other, and instead should be aimed at “understanding each other’s positions,” according to reports.

“Putin is always ready to explain his positions in detail, sincerely and consistently,” the spokesman added.

Russia’s foreign minister also reiterated that Putin has repeatedly underlined his openness to dialogue, but only with “polite people with some elementary skills of decency.”

Macron’s remarks followed a recent EU summit where member states failed to reach consensus on using frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine due to internal disagreements.

Instead, leaders endorsed a €90 billion ($105 billion) loan raised on capital markets to help cover Ukraine’s expanding budget shortfall, though several countries chose not to participate in the plan.

The most recent direct exchange between Putin and Macron took place in a phone call in July 2025 — their first conversation since 2022 — which focused on the conflict in Ukraine.

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