Macron emphasizes that China understands the clock is not yet right for negotiations over Ukraine, a stance he stresses after his state visit to Beijing. The French president notes that Beijing is aware there are still military realities on the ground in Ukraine, making any broad deal premature while there is still fighting and resistance from Ukrainian forces. The focus, he says, is not to rush diplomatic exchanges, but to build a framework that could support future dialogue once conditions allow.
In a wide-ranging interview with Les Echos, Macron frames China’s role in the Ukraine crisis as complex and consequential. He observes that for Chinese diplomacy, Ukraine might not be a top priority at the moment, yet dialogue with Beijing is valuable because it can help temper some perceptions of China’s stance toward Russia. In his view, continued communication helps bring clarity to Beijing’s posture and signals where convergence might emerge later, without implying immediate concessions.
According to Macron, both Paris and Beijing share a similar assessment: today is a military moment in Ukraine. Ukrainian defenses remain resilient, and international support is essential to sustaining that resistance. He stresses that this is not a moment for concessions or negotiated peace terms, but rather a period in which groundwork is laid for possible discussions in the future. The ultimate aim of maintaining dialogue with China, he says, is to align approaches on security and diplomacy so that a constructive path toward negotiation can be opened when the right conditions appear.
Observers note that the French leader’s remarks reflect a careful diplomatic balancing act. On one side, there is a clear commitment to supporting Ukraine as it withstands aggression; on the other, there is recognition that long-term peace depends on sustained, credible conversations with key players, including China. The interview underscores a broader strategy: keep lines of communication open, coordinate with partners, and prevent any misinterpretation of Western resolve as inflexibility. In this frame, China’s evolving stance toward Russia and Kyiv will be watched closely as events unfold and as international pressures shape possible horizons for dialogue .