MOSCOW, November 15. /TASS/. Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Emmanuel Macron of France expressed discontent at the lack of progress in settling the situation in Donbass, the Kremlin press service said on Monday after their telephone conversation.

"Both sides expressed discontent at the lack of progress in settling the Ukrainian internal conflict. It was noted that the situation is only worsening," it said. "In this context, Vladimir Putin drew attention to the provocative nature of the United States’ and some of its allies’ large-scale drill in the Black Sea, which only add to the strains in relations between Russia and NATO."

Putin noted that Kiev continues its destructive policy geared toward breaking down the Minsk agreements. "The recent use of combat drones by the Ukrainian armed forces in the zone of conflict" points to this policy," the Kremlin stressed.

Earlier, Putin said that the United States’ and its allies’ drills in the Black Sea were a serious challenge to Russia. He also noted that the West was ignoring the use of Bayraktar combat drones in Donbass by Ukrainian troops in violation of the Minsk accords.