Macron says he wants a ‘European approach’ in dialogue with Putin

French President Emmanuel Macron Nearly four years after Moscow invaded Ukraine, Russian leader Vladimir Putin has said he wants to include European partners in the resumption of talks.

He spoke after sending top advisers to Moscow last week, the first meeting since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

“What have I gained? Russia has now confirmed that it does not want peace,” he said in an interview with several European newspapers, including Germany. Suddecht Zeitung.

“But above all, we rebuilt those channels of discussion at the technical level,” he said in an interview released on Tuesday (Feb 10, 2026).

“My hope is to share this with my European partners and have a coordinated European approach,” he said.

He said the dialogue with Mr Putin should take place “without too many interlocutors, with a given order”.

Mr Macron said last year that Europe should reach back to Mr Putin instead of leaving the United States alone to take the lead in negotiations to end Russia’s war on Ukraine.

“Whether we like Russia or not, Russia will still be there tomorrow” Suddecht Zeitung Quoting the French President’s statement.

“So it is important that we create a resumption of the European discussion with the Russians, without naivety, without putting pressure on the Ukrainians – but not relying on third parties in this discussion.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday (Feb 12, 2026) that Mr Putin was ready to accept the French leader’s call, after Mr Macron sent his adviser Emmanuel Bonne to the Kremlin last week.

“If you want to call and discuss something seriously, then call,” he said in an interview with the state broadcaster. RT.

The two presidents last spoke in July in what was the first known phone conversation in two and a half years.

The French leader tried in a series of phone calls to warn Putin against invading Ukraine in 2022 and traveled to Moscow earlier that year.

He maintained phone contact with Mr Putin after the invasion but talks broke down after a September 2022 phone call.