Moscow, Russia. French President Emmanuel Macron’s most senior diplomat visited Moscow on Tuesday for talks with Russian officials, according to a source aware of the meeting and two diplomatic sources. The discussions focused on key issues, most importantly Ukraine, the sources said.
Meeting in Moscow
A source said Emmanuel Bonne, who has led Macron’s diplomatic cell since 2019, met officials at the Kremlin. The source did not provide further details, beyond saying the aim was dialogue on key issues, most importantly Ukraine.
French presidency response
The French presidency neither confirmed nor denied the talks, but said: “As the President said during his doorstep yesterday, discussions exist at a technical level in full transparency and in consultation with President Zelenskiy and with the main European colleagues.”
Contacts with Kremlin aide
Two diplomatic sources said allies had been made aware of the initiative and that Bonne held talks with Yuri Ushakov, a senior aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Macron’s comments on restarting dialogue
Macron said in December that Europeans would have to re-engage in direct talks with Putin if the latest U.S.-led efforts to broker a Ukraine peace deal were to founder.
European leaders wary of Putin’s military ambitions have expressed frustration at their exclusion from peace talks led by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, while seeking to support Ukraine’s negotiating position.
Macron told reporters on Tuesday that efforts were under way to restart dialogue with Putin. “It’s being prepared and so there are discussions that are being held at a technical level,” he said, adding that it was being done in consultation with Ukraine.
“It’s important that the Europeans restore their own channels of discussion,” Macron said.
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