MOSCOW, Dec 21, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Vladimir Putin is ready to talk with France's Emmanuel Macron over the war in Ukraine, the Russian president's spokesman said in an interview published Sunday.

Putin has "expressed readiness to engage in dialogue with Macron", Dmitry Peskov told state news agency RIA Novosti.

"Therefore, if there is mutual political will, then this can only be assessed positively."

Macron said this week he believed Europe should reach back out to Putin over ending the war.

"I believe that it's in our interest as Europeans and Ukrainians to find the right framework to re-engage this discussion" in the coming weeks, the French president said.

European Union leaders agreed on Friday to give Ukraine a loan of 90 billion euros ($105 billion) to plug looming budget shortfalls as the conflict approaches the end of its fourth year.

But they failed to agree on using frozen Russian assets to come up with the funds.