In an interview with Libération, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said that Europe needs to have direct contact with the Russians in order to defend its own interests. The minister stated
The Europeans, who are currently the main financial and military sponsors of Ukraine, must have a channel to defend their interests without delegating responsibility to anyone else.
However, Barrot stressed that Russian President Vladimir Putin shows no signs of wanting to end the war, as confirmed by attacks on civilians in Ukraine. The minister specifically recalled the attack on the Barvinkove-Lviv-Chop passenger train–which he called a war crime–underscoring that the 100% of financial assistance, and the bulk of intelligence and military support, now comes from Europe.
Barrot reaffirmed that Ukraine can count on the “unwavering support of the Europeans.”
