Europe shouldn’t make the “huge mistake” of avoiding dialogue with Russia, French President Emmanuel Macron told The Economist, continuing his recent overtures to the country that the West has shunned over its annexation of Crimea.
Macron previously attempted to bridge the European Union’s differences with Moscow this summer, warning against the “strategic error” of isolating Russia and describing Russia as “deeply European.” The EU, the United States and other Western allies have imposed a series of economic sanctions on Russia after it annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in 2014.
Europe should start acting like a strategic power whose first order of business is to re-open dialogue with Russia, Macron said in an interview with the British weekly published Thursday.
Failing to open communication channels with Moscow would be a “huge mistake,” Macron said, despite suspicions from Poland and other former Soviet-bloc states in the EU.
Macron also warned fellow EU member states that they can no longer rely on the U.S. to defend its NATO allies, saying that Washington is showing signs of “turning its back on us.”
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
