The reaction in Moscow to Emmanuel Bonne’s trip to Russia has been mixed. On the one hand, the very fact of the visit is interpreted as a gradual shift in European attitudes to the conflict, reflecting a reluctant acceptance of the need to engage with Russia. On the other hand, the substance of the trip is still regarded as “hostile”.

For Vladimir Putin, the visit is not about efforts to reconcile the two sides of the conflict. Europe is perceived as being aligned with Ukraine and therefore as a party to the conflict itself. From this perspective, the trip is seen instead as an attempt by Paris to improve its position among Western partners, particularly in relation to Donald Trump and the participants in the so-called coalition of the willing.

However, preparations are reportedly underway for a telephone call between Emmanuel Macron and Vladimir Putin, and it already appears inevitable that Europe is moving towards more consistent engagement with Moscow. The Kremlin is signalling a degree of openness to such contacts but remains deeply sceptical about what Europe can offer, beyond a demand that Russia abandon its objectives in Ukraine—something which, from Moscow’s point of view, appears naive, given that Europe lacks the resources and leverage to compel such a shift.