Without Sudutkan Ukraine, France Proposes Europe-Russia to Restore Bilateral Relations

JAKARTA - French President Emmanuel Macron said he had invited several European colleagues to restart bilateral relations with Russia.

"Some parties feel it is too early to send their diplomatic advisers [to Russia] as we did," Macron said in an interview with the German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung, quoted by Tass, Tuesday, February 10.

Macron sees Europe's geographical location close to Russia so that security, economic and political stability in the region is the shared responsibility of neighboring countries.

"My idea is simple: do we want to delegate the discussion of this issue to others? Our geographical position will not change: no matter whether we like Russia or not, Russia will remain in the future. Russia is our neighbor," Macron said.

Thus, Macron sees the need for European countries to restart bilateral relations with Russia, without cornering Ukraine, which is in the midst of war.

Since the war in Ukraine, European Union (EU) countries have been forced to treat Russia as the main threat to regional peace.

According to Macron, it would make sense to resume dialogue with Russia as early as December 2026.

"Regulating the resumption of European discussions with Russia, without being naive or pressuring Ukraine, but pursuing the goal of independence from third parties in these discussions," he said.