Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has dismissed recent French efforts to revive direct dialogue between President Emmanuel Macron and President Vladimir Putin as “pathetic,” following a high-level visit to Moscow by one of Macron’s senior diplomatic advisers.
Lavrov told Russian state media outlet RT that Macron’s repeated statements about wanting to call Putin “are not serious” and amount to “pathetic diplomacy.” He emphasized that Putin “will always pick up the phone” for serious proposals.
According to two EU diplomats speaking on the condition of anonymity, the French adviser, Bonne, visited Moscow to lay the groundwork for Macron and Putin to resume talks, which have not taken place directly since shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Bonne reportedly met with Yury Ushakov, a top Putin aide involved in ongoing U.S.-brokered negotiations with Ukraine.
Neither French nor Russian officials officially confirmed the visit, though Macron’s office acknowledged that “technical talks” are underway in coordination with President Zelenskyy and European partners.
Macron has repeatedly called for Europe to engage Moscow directly, arguing that European diplomatic input is essential as the Russia–Ukraine conflict approaches its fifth year.
Prominent Russia analyst Tatiana Stanovaya noted that while the Kremlin appears open to Macron’s outreach, it remains “deeply skeptical about what Europe can offer.”
