BRUSSELS, January 13. /TASS/. Recent statements by Italian and French leaders that the European Union will have to negotiate with Russia have received support both in Brussels and other European capitals, Politico reported, citing sources.
"[French President Emmanuel] Macron has been advocating in the last days that, in view of the bilateral discussions between the Americans and the Russians, it is important to play at least a role in the discussion," a French official said as quoted by Politico. "On the balance between not engaging and engaging, there's a growing appreciation in some [EU] capitals." The source added that there is a range of issues "which cannot be discussed with [only] the US when they have direct implications" on the security of Europeans. On January 12, European Commission chief spokesperson Paula Pinho acknowledged that "at some point, there will have to be talks with [Russian President Vladimir] Putin", noting nonetheless that "we're not there yet."
Macron had previously stated that it was time for Europe to resume dialogue with Russia. He stressed that the current format of negotiations on Ukraine, in which US negotiators discuss settlement terms with Russia without European participation, "is not the best one."
Commenting on Macron’s remarks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow is always open to dialogue. He noted that the Russian president has repeatedly emphasized his readiness for communication, "but provided that the people across from him mind their manners.".