French President Emmanuel Macron’s top diplomat, Emmanuel Bonne, traveled to Moscow on Tuesday to meet with Russian officials, aiming to discuss key issues, with Ukraine at the forefront. According to sources familiar with the meeting, Bonne held talks at the Kremlin, though details of the discussions were not disclosed.

The French presidency declined to confirm or deny the meetings, emphasizing only that technical-level discussions were taking place in full transparency and in consultation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European partners. Diplomatic sources added that European allies had been informed of the initiative, and that Bonne met with Yuri Ushakov, a senior aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Macron has previously stressed the need for Europeans to re-establish direct dialogue with Putin if US-led efforts to broker a peace agreement falter. European leaders, cautious of Russia’s military intentions, have been frustrated at being sidelined in negotiations spearheaded by US President Donald Trump, limiting them to supporting Ukraine from the periphery.

Speaking to reporters, Macron confirmed that preparations are underway to resume discussions with Putin. He stressed the importance of Europeans restoring their own communication channels with Moscow, noting that these technical-level talks are part of that broader effort and are coordinated with Ukraine.