In his diplomatic speech after hosting the G-7 summit, French President Emmanuel Macron stressed that it is important to talk to Russia.
Unlike the US President Donald Trump, Macron did not argue for Russia’s full return to G-8. The French leader, however, noted that “the European continent will never be stable and safe if we don’t pacify and clarify our relationship with Russia,” as reported by the “Voice of America”.
Russia was suspended from its membership in G-8 after the annexation of Ukrainian Crimea in 2014.
“Some will always push to impose more sanctions – that’s in their interest. Even if they are friends, it’s not in ours,” Emmanuel Macron added, making one question if he would support lifting sanctions against the Russian Federation.
“We are not a power that considers that our friends’ enemies are necessarily our own or that we are forbidden to talk to them, and I think that’s the strength of France,” the French president elaborated.
At the same time, the President of the European Council Donald Tusk stated he would prefer to invite Ukraine as a guest to the next G-7 meeting – not Russia.