French President Emmanuel Macron is to visit Moscow for Ukraine crisis talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin after vowing to “step up the peace process” to avoid a further escalations in tension.
Mr Macron will touch down in the Russian capital on Monday before heading to Kiev on Tuesday for a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The pair spoke on the phone on Thursday and agreed to continue their dialogue to “counter security challenges” in Europe.
They also “agreed on further joint steps to maintain Ukraine’s stability and enhance financial and economic co-operation”, according to a tweet by Mr Zelenskiy.
Mr Macron’s trip to Moscow will be the highest profile effort by a western leader to de-escalate the security crisis on the edge of the EU.
The Kremlin said Mr Putin would discuss Washington’s reply to his security demands when he meets Mr Macron next week.
In a letter hand delivered to the Kremlin by the US ambassador in Moscow, the Biden administration repeated its previous refusal to bow to Russian demands.
The Kremlin had asked for assurances that Ukraine would never be allowed to join Nato, and that the trans-Atlantic treaty would scale back its deployments in eastern Europe.
The US said stressed its commitment to the military alliance’s “open-door” policy.
The Kremlin said Mr Putin will explain to Mr Macron how Russia understands the US position, and said his visit is considered to be an important one.
Mr Putin was expected to be welcomed to Beijing by Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday for talks on their relations.
In comments carried by Chinese state media, Mr Xi said China and Russia’s strategic co-operation was unshakeable and would continue to be in the future.
Mr Macron, who has called for a de-escalation in the crisis, has repeatedly held telephone talks with Mr Putin and Mr Zelenskiy over the last days, as well as with US President Joe Biden.
His office said the discussions sought “to identify the elements that should lead to a de-escalation".
Moscow has stationed about 100,000 troops close to Ukraine’s borders with Russia and Belarus. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied it wants to invade Ukrainian territory but has expressed concern about the expansion of Nato and the increasing military presence in eastern Europe.
In a possible nod to those worries, Mr Macron’s office said exchanges had started on the “strategic balance” in Europe, which should make it possible to achieve “a reduction in the risks on the ground and guarantee security".
Western powers have been engaged in intense diplomatic efforts over the past weeks over Russia’s military build-up. Critics have expressed scepticism over Russia’s denials about an invasion and many say Mr Putin is incensed over Ukraine’s tilt to the West and pro-European moves.
Although Ukraine has sought to play down the risk of an invasion, tension is running high after the Pentagon said on Thursday that it had evidence of a plan by Moscow to film a fake Ukrainian attack on Russians to justify a real assault.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has also indicated he plans to visit Russia soon, although the timing is not immediately clear.
The French president has over the last couple of years maintained that Europe must keep channels open to talk with Russia.
He has insisted that a “demanding dialogue” is preferable to open confrontation with Moscow in a fast-changing world dominated by the rise of China.
Mr Macron paid his only visit to Russia as president in May 2018 when he attended the Saint Petersburg economic forum and met Mr Putin.
His last face-to-face meeting with the Russian president dates back to a summit in summer 2019 at his residence in the South of France. A planned visit to Moscow in May 2020 was cancelled due to the pandemic.
