Macron says France not interested in isolating Russia

French President Emmanuel Macron has stated that his country is not interested in isolating Russia.

He said this at the annual French ambassadors conference at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Tuesday, August 27, AP reports.

France's president says it's time for Europe to redefine its relations with Russia to check its global ambitions and avoid being caught in the middle of a new Cold War.

Macron didn't say whether he wants to lift EU sanctions imposed over Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, but said new sanctions "are not in our interest." He said it's time to "rethink our relations with Russia," without elaborating.

In his speech, Macron warned that pushing Russia farther away is a "deep strategic error." He said Europe's "weaknesses and mistakes" have helped lead Russia to boost its alliance with China and revive its influence in Syria, Libya and around Africa.

As reported, Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin met last week and vowed to give a new boost to peace talks with Ukraine. But the two disagreed on other issues, including Syria and the Russian crackdown on opposition protests.