The French presidency said that the phone call between the two presidents, which lasted for more than an hour, “allowed an understanding on the need to defuse the escalation,” noting that “President Putin did not show any aggressive intention (…) He clearly said that he does not seek confrontation.”
With regard to strategic security in Europe, the two presidents agreed “to continue the dialogue that calls for the Europeans (…) to be an interested party in this dialogue”, which includes the United States and NATO in the first place.
With regard to the conflict in eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian separatists have been facing Kiev since 2014, Putin stressed the already existing (Normandy) negotiation mechanism that brings together Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France, and aims to implement the 2015 Minsk Peace Accords, according to a Kremlin statement.
The Elysee added that Putin “also hoped to continue with President (Macron) the discussion that began today,” explaining that “the dialogue is difficult,” but that “the channels of discussion are open.”
Macron also consulted Friday afternoon with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky to reaffirm France’s “full solidarity with Ukraine” and to recall “its determination to preserve the territorial integrity and sovereignty of this country, in a highly volatile context.”
The Elysee noted that “the two presidents agreed to continue efforts to reduce escalation and dialogue, especially in the framework of the Normandy format negotiations, under the auspices of France and Germany, for the implementation of the Minsk agreements.”
