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Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, later explained that, according to the Russian’s, the diplomats from France did not bring any positive signals.
Efforts to shape future negotiations over the war in Ukraine reportedly hit a blunt obstacle during a recent diplomatic visit to Moscow.
According to the Financial Times, a senior Kremlin official reacted sharply when French representatives suggested European participation in potential talks aimed at ending the conflict.
The exchange highlights tensions over who should be involved in any diplomatic framework to resolve Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began in 2022.
A tense meeting
The Financial Times reported on March 15 that two senior advisers to French President Emmanuel Macron travelled to Moscow in February to explore possibilities for future negotiations over the war.
During their discussions with Yuri Ushakov, a long-time aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin responsible for foreign policy matters, the French side argued that European countries should be represented in talks about ending the conflict.
They reportedly stressed that the war has direct implications for the security and stability of Europe.
Blunt rejection
According to the Financial Times, the proposal was dismissed outright during the meeting.
A senior European diplomat cited by the newspaper said Ushakov responded with a blunt rejection when the idea of European participation was raised.
“Sorry, but actually no—we don’t have it, go to hell,” the diplomat quoted Ushakov as saying.
The independent Russian outlet, Meduza, reports that the wording was much harsher with expletives being sent in the direction of the advisors.
Moscow’s response
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov offered a different interpretation of the meeting in comments to the report from the Financial Times.
He said the French delegation did not arrive with proposals that Moscow considered constructive.
“When the representative from France arrived, he did not bring any positive signals. So he heard nothing positive in response,” Peskov said according to the outlet.
He continued:
“Unfortunately, Europeans are spending all their efforts trying to convince Ukrainians to continue the war. We are convinced Europeans are making a mistake from the perspective of their own future.”
Talks still uncertain
European governments have been pushing to ensure they are included in any diplomatic process concerning the war.
EU states have provided extensive military, financial and political support to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
Preparations for a new round of negotiations have also been complicated by disagreements over where such talks should take place.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said discussions about a meeting were postponed at the request of the United States due to escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Washington has indicated it would prefer to host negotiations on US soil, while Russia has proposed neutral venues including Turkey or Switzerland. Zelenskyy has said Ukraine is willing to participate regardless of the location, including the United States, Turkey, Switzerland or the United Arab Emirates.
Sources: Financial Times, United24Media, Meduza
