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Macron hopes for wide dialogue on security guarantees in coming weeks

The French president pointed out that the current process of settling the crisis in the east of Ukraine must proceed "regardless of tensions" and "military pressure" on the country’s border

KIEV, February 8. /TASS/. French President Emmanuel Macron hopes that the situation in Ukraine will stabilize and Europe and Russia will be able to get back to the dialogue on security guarantees.

"The purpose of my trips to Moscow and Kiev is to collectively restore order, stability and security on our continent, which are experiencing the harmful effects of military pressure," he told a news conference following a meeting with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, while speaking on an alleged Russian military buildup near the border with Ukraine. "I do believe that we will be able to identify concrete and practical solutions, which will let us achieve progress. I raised this issue in conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and European partners. We would like the situation to stabilize within the coming weeks or months, which would let us get back to the mechanisms of new guarantees and steady de-escalation."

The French leader pointed out that the current process of settling the crisis in the east of Ukraine must proceed "regardless of tensions" and "military pressure" on the country’s border. He added that he spent much time discussing that issue at negotiations with Putin in Moscow on Monday.

"Within the coming days and weeks we must move forward along this double track. Firstly, strict compliance with the Minsk agreements within the Normandy quartet. Secondly, a wide, demanding and innovative dialogue, which will enable us to create guarantees of stability and security on our continent and maintain security in the short term," Macron concluded.

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