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French Foreign Ministry points to prospects for de-escalation in Ukraine

There is hope for dialogue that was reflected in the initiatives that President Macron presented during his visit to Moscow, French Secretary of State for European Affairs Clement Beaune noted

PARIS, February 8. /TASS/. Opportunities exist to de-escalate the situation around Ukraine in the wake of Monday’s meeting in Moscow between Presidents Emmanuel Macron of France and Vladimir Putin of Russia but the process requires time, French Secretary of State for European Affairs Clement Beaune told the France 2 TV channel on Tuesday.

"One needs to be cautious but after the recent talks between Presidents Macron and Putin, which were preceded by telephone conversations, there is a possible way to avoid a conflict and launch de-escalation efforts. This is the goal. It requires time, it is just the beginning of the process," Beaune pointed out.

At the same time, according to him, there are risks, including those related to the presence of Russian troops "near Ukraine’s borders." "However, there is hope for dialogue that was reflected in the initiatives that President Macron presented during his visit to Moscow," the French secretary of state stressed.

He also noted that talks involving political advisors to the leaders of the Normandy Four countries (France, Russia, Germany and Ukraine), "which will take place in the coming days based on the Minsk Agreements," would facilitate efforts to stabilize the situation. According to Beaune, the withdrawal of Russian troops from Belarus after the drills are over will also facilitate de-escalation. In addition, the French diplomat highlighted the need to launch "discussions of security guarantees" together with the US and NATO.

Macron arrived in Moscow on Monday for a meeting with Putin. The French president said ahead of the talks that negotiations with Russia were now more important than ever because this is the only possible way to ensure security and stability on the European continent through dialogue. The meeting between two leaders lasted over five hours.

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