Russian President Vladimir Putin remains prepared for diplomatic engagement with French President Emmanuel Macron, according to a statement from Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov on December 21, 2025. The announcement follows Macron's renewed call for EU preparedness to negotiate with Moscow if current peace initiatives in Ukraine stall.
Peskov emphasized that dialogue requires mutual political will, noting Macron's recent remarks at the EU summit in Brussels where the French leader described future negotiations with Putin as "necessary and useful" for establishing lasting stability. The two leaders last spoke directly in July 2025, discussing conflict resolution strategies for Ukraine and Middle Eastern tensions.
This development comes as European governments weigh long-term security frameworks, with Macron advocating for unified EU groundwork to support potential Russo-European negotiations. Analysts suggest the exchange signals cautious optimism amid frozen conflicts, though substantive progress hinges on coordinated Western positions.
