Macron Preparing To Reopen Dialogue With Putin — Says Russia Shows Little Appetite For Ceasefire

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that preparations are underway to resume dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin nearly four years after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. He stressed, however, that Russia has shown no "real willingness" to negotiate a ceasefire.

Macron told reporters during a visit to northeastern France that the steps to reopen contacts are being handled "at a technical level" and conducted "transparently" in consultation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European allies. He said such channels are needed to negotiate security guarantees that would be required after any future cessation of hostilities.

"It is being prepared and so discussions are taking place at a technical level," Macron said. "I think it would be useful, but I don't think Russia is currently willing to conclude a peace agreement in the coming days or weeks."

Macron reiterated that France will continue to support Ukraine while it faces bombardment, harsh winter conditions and attacks on civilian infrastructure, including energy systems. He described these attacks as "intolerable" and as evidence that Moscow is not demonstrating a genuine willingness to negotiate for peace.

Dialogue between the European Union and Russia has been largely frozen since 2022, and the bloc has imposed sweeping sanctions and travel restrictions on Moscow. In January, the Kremlin said it viewed calls from some European states to resume talks as "positive," but Macron offered no specific timetable for when direct contacts with Putin might resume.

Macron has faced criticism in the past for maintaining contact with Putin in the months after the invasion began; he later suspended direct talks and refocused French efforts on supporting Ukraine. The president emphasized that any renewed engagement with Moscow will be coordinated with European partners and Kyiv.