It's "pathetic," Lavrov responded to Macron's efforts to engage in dialogue.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has sharply criticized France's efforts to resume dialogue between Presidents Emmanuel Macron and Vladimir Putin. In an interview with Russian state television RT, he described Macron's comments about a possible phone call with Putin as "poor diplomacy," according to Politico.

"You know, this is not serious. It's poor diplomacy. If you want to call and have a serious conversation, then call. Putin will always pick up the phone. He will always listen to any proposals, especially serious ones," Lavrov said.

The criticism came just days after Macron's top diplomatic adviser, Emmanuel Bonne, visited Moscow.

Two EU diplomats confirmed that Bonne held talks in the Russian capital on Tuesday with Yuri Ushakov, one of Putin's top advisers, who is also involved in US-mediated peace talks on Ukraine. Neither French officials nor the Kremlin have officially confirmed or denied the visit.

Macron noted on Tuesday that "technical talks" are underway to resume dialogue with Moscow. His office emphasized that communication is transparent and in consultation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and key European partners.

(max)