At the Munich Security Conference held on February 13, French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized the need for European countries to participate in negotiations with Russia to achieve peace in the context of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, as reported by Le Monde.
Macron highlighted the importance of creating a "transparent communication channel" with Russia. He noted that for effective negotiations in the future, Europe needs to be in a "strong position." To this end, EU countries should "actively develop" their defense capabilities, especially in the area of long-range systems.
According to Reuters, the French leader warned that even after the conflict with Ukraine ends, Europe will face an aggressive Russia. He suggested that Europe should pre-establish "rules of coexistence" with Russia to minimize risks for further escalation, as stated in a publication by Le Figaro.
"Europeans must start this work based on their own interests and opinions. Therefore, I propose to initiate a series of consultations on this important issue," Macron said, calling on other European countries to engage in discussions, which already include France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
Additionally, he proposed a reorganization of the security architecture in Europe, including a review of the concept of nuclear deterrence.
