Diplomatic contact with Moscow was cut after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022

Ukraine's European backers are preparing for possible talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday.

The EU and UK cut off diplomatic communication with Moscow following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. The Russian and French leaders last spoke by phone in July - their first conversation in over three years.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Macron said a resumption of dialogue with Putin "is being prepared" and described any future talks as potentially "useful."

"Discussions are taking place at the technical level to prepare this," he said, answering a reporter who asked the French president about his call in December for the EU to start talks with Moscow.

Macron added that preparations for resuming dialogue were being handled "transparently" in consultation with Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky and "our main European colleagues."

The French president's remarks are the latest push from Paris for talks with Putin.

On Sunday, French Foreign Minister JeanNoel Barrot urged the EU to establish a direct channel of communication with Russia.

In an interview with Liberation, Barrot said France had "never ruled out, in principle, engaging with Russia," provided any talks were "beneficial" and conducted transparently with Ukraine and the EU.

The remarks by French officials reflect growing concern among EU member states that their influence has been diminished by US President Donald Trump. Since returning to office last year, Trump has sought to broker an end to the Ukraine conflict through direct talks between Kiev and Moscow.

Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have previously called on the EU to appoint a special envoy to Russia to ensure the bloc has a voice at the negotiating table.

Russian officials have repeatedly said they are open to goodfaith negotiations, provided Western countries respect Moscow's security concerns and abandon their goal of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia through Ukraine.

(RT.com)