The political scientist appreciated the statements of the new French ambassador to the Russian Federation about the desire for dialogue.

The words of the new French ambassador to Russia, Nicolas de Riviere, are most likely a marker that Paris is beginning to realize the need for dialogue with Moscow. Sergey Fedorov, a leading researcher at the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told Izvestia on April 24.

"The words of the French ambassador are not only his initiative, of course, because he is an ambassador representing the country's interest, but, apparently, a marker that the need for dialogue has begun to reach the French top leadership. I think that with this in mind, we can count on positive developments in relations between the two countries," he said.

The political scientist positively assessed de Riviere's words and noted that such statements in the Russian Federation can only be welcomed. He also agreed with the diplomat's words that Russian-French relations are at a historically low point.

"So far, there are no optimistic further steps in this regard, nor is there any desire for France to listen to Russia and establish a dialogue. Unlike the United States, Europe has demonized us and does not seek any kind of dialogue. Without this, it will not be possible to resolve the Ukrainian conflict diplomatically," the expert added.

He also stressed that Paris has not yet seen any movement towards lifting anti-Russian sanctions. At the same time, he stressed that the European Union (EU), for various reasons, one way or another will have to build some kind of relationship with the Russian Federation and engage in dialogue. He called the rejection of Russophobic politics a condition for this.

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Earlier in the day, the new French ambassador to Russia, in an interview with the newspaper Kommersant, called the resumption of dialogue between Paris and Moscow his goal. He stressed that this could lead to a possible improvement in relations between the two countries.

De Riviere also allowed the lifting of sanctions against Moscow as part of a new agreement to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.