France says EU needs strategic relationship with Russia on defense

The European Union needs strategic relationships including in defense matters with its closest neighbours to ensure greater stability, and should modernise its post-Cold War relations with Russia, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday.

“It is in our interest for the EU to have a strategic relationship with Turkey as well as with Russia that brings stability, that will in the long term and bring more strength and coherency,” Macron said in a press conference in Helsinki alongside his Finnish counterpart.