French President Emmanuel Macron is set to fly to Moscow in a bid to secure commitments from Russian President Vladimir Putin that will ease tensions over Ukraine.
Ahead of the trip, the French leader said he hopes to “discuss the terms of a de-escalation” during his talks with Putin.
Following the Moscow visit, Macron will then head to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, on Tuesday for talks with the country’s president
Russia has amassed some 100,000 troops near its borders with Ukraine, demanding security guarantees from the United States and NATO, including that the alliance reject Ukraine as a member and halt any eastward expansion. But French president , Emmanuel Macron – who spoke to Joe Biden ahead of the trip to Moscow as part of a “coordination logic” – has downplayed the likelihood of a Russian invasion of Ukraine and said his negotiations with Putin are likely to head off a military conflict