French President Emmanuel Macron said that negotiations with Russia are indispensable to reduce tensions in Europe and expressed hope for the continuation of contacts.
"It is proved that the strategy of dialogue always bears fruit. In early January, the sides agreed to resume the [consultation] process. This is what we will be doing in the coming days," he said in an interview with Journal du Dimanche.
According to the French leader, negotiations with Moscow are "more necessary than ever". "If we do not want to retain the status quo which causes everyone to concern about our collective security," he said.
"Washington is currently doing the same thing that I have been doing for several years: they are talking with Russians. This is good news," Macron noted. In addition, he believes that this is not an easy path, and "the level of tension is alarming".
The president also stressed that Paris and Berlin have been negotiating with Russia and Ukraine within the framework of the Minsk agreements for a long time.
