Macron and Putin back in contact. Which other world leaders maintaining dialogue with Kremlin

Key questions

• What did Macron discuss with Putin on July 1, 2025?

• When was the last time the leaders of France and Russia spoke?

• Which other world leaders are maintaining contact with the Kremlin?

Macron and Putin resume dialogue

On the evening of Monday, July 1, 2025, it was revealed that French President Emmanuel Macron had a phone call with Russian leader Vladimir Putin — their first contact in nearly three years.

The conversation lasted around two hours and focused primarily on the war in Ukraine. They also touched on the situation involving Israel and Iran, and discussed US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

Following the call, the Élysée Palace stated that the French president "reaffirmed his unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine."

Macron also urged Putin to immediately establish a ceasefire and initiate negotiations between Ukraine and Russia for a "solid and lasting resolution of the conflict." The two sides reportedly agreed to continue discussions on this matter.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin presented its own version of the conversation. According to the Russian side, Putin claimed that the conflict in Ukraine was the result of Western policies, accusing Western countries of "ignoring Russia’s security interests" and creating an "anti-Russian stronghold" in Ukraine.

The Russian leader also referred to alleged "violations of the rights of Russian speakers" and accused the West of prolonging the hostilities by supplying weapons. Putin emphasized that any resolution must involve "eliminating the root causes of the crisis" and "taking into account new territorial realities."

According to RBC-Ukraine sources, after speaking with Vladimir Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to brief him on the details of the conversation with the Russian President.

Background of Macron–Putin contacts

At the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Emmanuel Macron maintained contact with Vladimir Putin. In just the first week of the war, the two leaders spoke four times.

For example, on February 28, 2022, they held a call lasting about an hour and a half. During the conversation, Macron insisted on an immediate ceasefire, while Putin claimed that the Russian military operation was "going according to Moscow’s plan." The French president also expressed concern at the time that "the worst is yet to come."

The last known conversation between Macron and Putin before the recent call took place on September 11, 2022. The main topic was the situation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Putin accused Ukrainian forces of shelling the plant, while Macron stressed the need to ensure the plant’s safety, withdraw Russian troops, and follow IAEA recommendations. They also discussed the export of Ukrainian grain.

After that call, contact between the French and Russian leaders ceased — until now. Macron himself explained that he had cut off communication with the Kremlin leader following Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine.

However, in February 2025, during his first meeting with US President Donald Trump after Trump assumed office, Macron suggested that a renewed dialogue with the Kremlin might be possible, citing a "new context."

"I ended contacts with Putin after Bucha and the war crimes committed by Russia. But now, there’s a new administration in the US, which means a new context. There is a strong reason to resume contacts with President Putin,” Macron stated.

He also noted that world leaders had experience negotiating with Russia back in 2014, but due to a lack of guarantees — especially security guarantees — Putin had violated the peace. The French president emphasized that any peace agreement to end the conflict in Ukraine must be based on preserving Ukraine’s sovereignty.

Which other world leaders are speaking with Putin?

Emmanuel Macron is not the first Western leader to resume contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the war in Ukraine. In fact, a number of European politicians have never ceased dialogue or cooperation with the Kremlin, despite Russia’s full-scale aggression.

US President Donald Trump

Following his election victory, Donald Trump has spoken with Vladimir Putin multiple times by phone. Between May and June 2025 alone, the two leaders held three calls:

• May 19, 2025 – The conversation lasted over two hours, during which Trump initiated a discussion on a ceasefire in Ukraine. The Kremlin claimed it was allegedly ready to work on a peace memorandum to establish a ceasefire once agreements were reached.

• June 4, 2025 – The US and Russian presidents discussed Ukraine’s Spiderweb operation, which targeted Russian military airfields, as well as Iran’s nuclear program.

Trump suggested that Ukraine and Russia should be "allowed to fight a bit longer," after which it would be easier to end the war. During the call, he reportedly compared the war to "a fight between kids in a park." However, following the conversation, the US president stated that tough sanctions could be imposed if no agreement was reached.

• June 14, 2025 – Another call took place to address the escalation in the Middle East, the exchange of prisoners of war between Russia and Ukraine, and the prospects of continuing negotiations. Trump described the situation as "very concerning."