Macron's Statement on Putin Causes Stir in the West: Figaro

The statement made by French President Emmanuel Macron regarding negotiations with Vladimir Putin has raised questions in Brussels and revealed a crisis in European diplomacy, reports Le Figaro.

“This episode once again underscores the disagreements surrounding the European Union's foreign policy,” the publication notes.

According to the report, following Macron's suggestion to resume dialogue with Moscow, Brussels has begun discussions about who could serve as a conversation partner for the Russian president. It has been proposed that the head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, could fulfill this role, though it remains unclear what the French leader truly meant.

“The European External Action Service (EEAS), established in 2009, is currently 'suffocating', according to a diplomat based in Brussels. The idea of giving European institutions a unified voice for engaging with the outside world has yet to be fully developed,” the article concludes.

On Friday, the French president stated that it would be beneficial for European countries to resume dialogue with the Russian leadership. In response, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov mentioned that any potential communications between the two leaders should be an attempt to understand each other's positions, rather than delivering lectures.