French president says ready to continue dialogue with Putin
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France's president emphasizes that he "believes in the power of dialogue."
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French President Emmanuel Macron, left, speaks to Russian President Vladimir Putin during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia, Friday, May 25, 2018. (AP)
French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged that he had not communicated with Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent months. Still, he emphasized that he intends to maintain an open dialogue with the Russian leader.
"I believe in the power of dialogue, and I would continue dialogue with Vladimir Putin ... There has been no [dialogue] in the last few months, but I do not rule it out on this or that topic, including on the issue of nuclear power plants or something else," Macron said on Monday.
Macron dismissed in March the notion that his relationship with Putin had cooled, recalling that he had spoken to the Russian president several times after the Ukraine conflict began.
Earlier last month, Macron said that if Russia goes "too far" in its war against Ukraine and threatens European security and stability, then Europe must be ready to stop it.
In a video-recorded statement on May 11, Macron said, "If Russians go too far at some point, all of us, Europeans, must be ready to act to contain them."
He further affirmed France's aversion to hostile engagement, as it was not "a power not of war, but of peace," but noted that if Europe's peace was threatened, it would have to interfere.
"That is why we need to arm ourselves and that is why we need to be a deterrence and be persuasive towards our enemies, telling them, 'If you go so far as to threaten my interests and my own security, I do not rule out intervention,'" he said.
