politics
February 4, 2026
Kiev’s European backers preparing for talks with Putin
French President Emmanuel Macron has said Ukraine’s European backers are preparing for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin
TL;DR
- European leaders are preparing for possible talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
- French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that technical-level discussions are underway to prepare for these talks.
- Macron stressed that preparations are being handled transparently and in consultation with Ukraine and European colleagues.
- French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot previously urged the EU to establish a direct communication channel with Russia.
- These remarks suggest a growing concern among EU states about their influence, possibly related to changes in US policy.
- French and Italian leaders have previously called for an EU special envoy to Russia.
- Russian officials have stated they are open to negotiations if Western countries respect Moscow's security concerns and cease aiming for a strategic defeat.
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