Macron Phones Putin in Attempt to Diffuse Ukraine Tensions

On Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron will speak by phone with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. According to the French Foreign Ministry, Paris will examine if Moscow prefers "consultations or confrontation" in response to the rising tensions in Ukraine.

Moscow has amassed forces near Ukraine and is seeking security assurances from the West, notably a pledge that Nato will never admit Russia's former Soviet ally.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told RTL radio that the West still believed discussion was possible, but that the ball was in Putin's court.

"It is up to Vladimir Putin to say whether he wants discussions or conflict," Le Drian said on RTL radio, in response to a question about whether Putin intended to be a "destabilising power" or sought de-escalation.

Macron has sought engagement with Putin throughout his five years as President of France, much to the chagrin of his European Union colleagues.

Western countries are concerned that Russia may invade Ukraine, despite Russia's denials. Macron stated on Tuesday that he will seek explanation from Russia regarding its goals in Ukraine. Continue reading.

Weeks of talks between the West and Moscow have yielded few achievements, but both parties have left the door open to more discussions, despite Russia's assertion on Thursday that the US was clearly unwilling to address its key security concerns.

Meanwhile, the US announced that it has requested an open meeting of the UN Security Council on Monday to address the issue in Ukraine, citing Russia's "threatening behaviour."

With fears growing that Russia might invade its former Soviet neighbour, Washington's UN envoy Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the council was dealing with a "crucial" issue for international peace and security: "Russia's threatening behaviour against Ukraine and the build-up of Russian troops on Ukraine's borders and in Belarus."

According to officials, the United States had wanted to hold the Security Council meeting on Friday.

However, they agreed to postpone it until Monday in order to avoid interfering with Macron's and Putin's Friday phone chat.