Macron to meet Putin in bid to ease Ukraine tensions

French president hopes to head off a military conflict in Ukraine with high-risk diplomatic mission to Moscow.

French President Emmanuel Macron is set to fly to Moscow in a bid to secure commitments from Russian President Vladimir Putin that will ease tensions over Ukraine.

Ahead of Monday’s trip, the French leader said he hopes to “discuss the terms of a de-escalation” during his talks with Putin.

Following the Moscow visit, Macron will then head to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, on Tuesday for talks with the country’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Russia has amassed some 100,000 troops near its borders with Ukraine, demanding security guarantees from the United States and NATO, including that the alliance reject Ukraine as a member and halt any eastward expansion.

It denies, however, planning an invasion of Ukraine.

The US and NATO have called the Russian demands non-starters and Washington has deployed thousands of additional troops to Eastern Europe. The White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Sunday warned that Putin could order an attack on Ukraine within days or weeks.

But Macron – who spoke to Joe Biden ahead of the trip to Moscow as part of a “coordination logic” – has downplayed the likelihood of a Russian invasion of Ukraine and said his negotiations with Putin are likely to head off a military conflict.

“The intensity of the dialogue we have had with Russia and this visit to Moscow are likely to prevent [a military operation] from happening. Then we will discuss the terms of de-escalation,” he said.

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