French Minister Says Europe Should Prepare Own Russia Talks While Backing Ukraine

France's EU Affairs Minister Benjamin Haddad said Europe should be ready to open its own diplomatic track with Russia while keeping support for Ukraine as the top priority. " He added that Moscow is losing ground on the battlefield and diplomatically.

Haddad noted that Russia had hoped to divide Europeans but instead saw the opposite result. He said Europeans have provided the bulk of support to Ukraine and that countries such as Armenia have shifted toward Europe since the 2022 invasion.

EU foreign ministers are scheduled to discuss on Thursday whether the bloc should end the diplomatic isolation of Russia imposed in early 2022 and begin direct peace talks. French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had previously said dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin would be useful.

Macron sent diplomatic adviser Emmanuel Bonne to Moscow in February, but Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov rebuffed the effort. Haddad's remarks indicate a more cautious French stance that aligns with eastern European governments. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna warned that direct talks could turn the EU into a neutral mediator expected to ease sanctions.

Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs said Russia would treat any outreach as a PR exercise.

Haddad also expressed support for Ukraine's EU membership application. He said the bloc is ready to work on gradual integration while maintaining accession standards. A proposal by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for associate status for Kyiv has drawn skepticism in Brussels. Officials continue to weigh faster integration against the bloc's existing membership criteria.