Europe needs direct contact with Russia to protect its interests. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated this in an interview with Liberation.
The Foreign Minister noted that 100% of the financial assistance provided to Ukraine comes from Europe, but Paris has never ruled out dialogue with Russia.
“The Europeans, who are currently the main financial and military sponsors of Ukraine, must have a means to protect their interests without attributing responsibility to anyone else,” Barrot said.
At the same time, he explained that, according to French observations, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is currently showing no real signs of moving towards peace. This is particularly confirmed by Russia’s recent shelling of Ukrainian civilians.
