MOSCOW, February 4. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has held a telephone conversation with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Thursday, the third one this week. The parties discussed the situation around Ukraine and issues related to Moscow’s talks with the US and NATO on security guarantees, the Kremlin press service said in a statement.

"The parties continued their substantive dialogue on the situation around Ukraine and issues related to Moscow’s initiative to develop long-term legal security guarantees for Russia," the statement reads.

The Kremlin press service added that Putin and Macron had also exchanged views on the current developments, including recent contacts with a number of global partners and with regard to France’s Chairmanship of the Council of the European Union.

In addition, the Russian president drew his French counterpart’s attention to the inflammatory statements and actions of the Ukrainian authorities that run counter to the Minsk Agreements.

According to the Kremlin press service, the conversation was initiated by France. Putin and Macron agreed to maintain contact.

The presidents of Russia and France earlier held phone calls on January 28 and 31. The Kremlin said that they had particularly discussed the possibility of considering an in-person meeting. The French president said that he did not rule out a visit to Moscow. However, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to give a specific date for the meeting when speaking to reporters on Thursday.