The president of the transatlantic think‑tank German Marshall Fund, Alexandra de Hoop Scheffer, sharply criticized French President Emmanuel Macron.
She told the “Handelsblatt” (Friday edition) that France’s contacts with Moscow amount to “diplomatic theatre”.
Macron himself has admitted that Russia shows no real willingness to enter serious negotiations toward a cease‑fire with Ukraine. Yet he recently called for a European dialogue with Russia and dispatched his security adviser to Moscow for talks. “This is a show, not real progress” Scheffer said.
Scheffer warned that such unilateral actions are risky ahead of the Munich Security Conference, where Europe aims to demonstrate unity. “France is acting as a self‑appointed European interlocutor instead of first building a coherent position” she said, adding that this fragmentation is exactly what Moscow seeks to exploit.
She urged Europe to “disciplinedly speak with one voice” when dealing with Russia, noting that there is “no such unity at present”.
