PARIS, February 1. /TASS/. European countries should have a channel of communication with Russia to be able to talks to it directly, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said.
"The Europeans, who are now Ukraine’s main supporters in financial an military terms, should have a channel [of communication] to defend their interests, not shifting the responsibility onto anyone else," he said in an interview with the Liberation newspaper, commenting on President Emmanuel Macron’s statements on the potential resumption of contacts with Russia.
"France has never totally ruled out the possibility of a dialogue with Russia," he said, adding that such a dialogue should be maintained only if "it is useful and transparent in respect to Ukraine and its European partners."
In an interview with the France 2 television channel on January 6, Macron said that he planned to talks to Russian President Vladimir Putin as soon as possible.
Commenting on Macron’s remarks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in December 2025 that Moscow is always open to dialogue. He recalled that the Russian president has repeatedly emphasized his readiness for communication, "but provided that the people across from him mind their manners.".