PARIS, January 25. /TASS/. French President Emmanuel Macron is set to discuss the situation in Ukraine by phone with the leaders of Russia and Ukraine, Vladimir Putin and Vladimir Zelensky, the Elysee Palace announced on Tuesday after Macron’s video conference with US, European and NATO leaders on Monday night.
"The president of the republic, who is to talk by phone with President Putin and President Zelensky in the coming days, is full of determination to use all diplomatic resources for maintaining stability in Europe, to show solidarity and readiness to support EU countries, who are concerned about their security," the French president’s administration said.
Macron also believes that the European Union should participate in drafting a response to Russia’s security proposals, the French president’s administration said.
"During the conversation with the partners, the president of the republic pointed at the importance of the EU’s full-fledged participation in preparing the answer to the proposals voiced by Russia in December," it said.
Macron "expressed his deep concern about the situation on Ukraine’s borders and stressed the importance of collective work for soonest de-escalation," the Elysee Palace said. "De-escalation should combine staunch warnings and enhanced dialogue with Russia."
"It also envisages energetic continuation of negotiations within the framework of the Normandy format [France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine]. This is the goal of the meeting of political advisers from the four countries, due in Paris on January 26," it added.
The West and Kiev have recently been spreading allegations about Russia’s potential ‘invasion’ of Ukraine. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov castigated these claims as "empty and unfounded", serving as a ploy to escalate tensions, pointing out that Russia did not pose any threat whatsoever to anyone. However, Peskov did not rule out the possibility of provocations aimed at justifying such allegations and warned that attempts to use military force to resolve the crisis in southeastern Ukraine would have serious consequences.