PARIS, September 13. /TASS/. Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy (2007-2012) believes that the rejection of opportunities for reaching a diplomatic settlement to the conflict in Ukraine may ultimately lead to the country’s destruction and a world war.

"There are two ways to resolve the conflict: either the destruction of one of the conflicting parties, and I warn that we are not talking about the second nuclear power in the world. Then the planet could slide into an all-out war. Or diplomatic dialogue," he said in an interview with France’s BFMTV news channel.

Sarkozy also said that he considers a dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin possible. "They tell me that Putin has changed and we can’t talk to him. Those who say this have never met Putin. I may have had more than 80 conversations with him," he noted. However, Sarkozy acknowledged that sometimes these conversations were "extremely difficult."

The former French president called for negotiations on Ukraine in mid-August in an interview with Le Figaro newspaper. He also stated that the goal of returning Crimea to Kiev’s control is illusory, and that Ukraine’s true purpose is to be a bridge between Russia and Europe, and not to join the European Union.