Despite the labor expenses, a conversation between Europe and Russia is vital, according to French President Emmanuel Macron. Negotiations, he added, are required to maintain European stability.
According to AFP, Macron stated that a discussion with Russian President Vladimir Putin “is important for the stability of the European continent, but labor-intensive, since we will not compromise our principles,” as soon as he arrived at the EU summit in Brussels.
On the eve of the summit, France and Germany suggested that Vladimir Putin be invited to a meeting with EU leaders. Meetings under the Russian-US framework, according to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, are insufficient, and the European Union should “seek direct communication with Russia and the Russian president.”
Dmitry Peskov, the Russian president’s press secretary, stated that the Kremlin supports the proposal and that the Russian president supports “recreating the mechanism of communication and connections between Brussels and Moscow.” At the same time, he stated that it is unclear whether EU countries are in accord on this subject.
