International efforts to defuse the standoff over Ukraine intensified Monday, with French President Emmanuel Macron holding talks in Moscow and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Washington to coordinate policies as fears of a Russian invasion mounted.
The buildup of over 100,000 Russian troops near Ukraine has fueled Western worries of a possible offensive.
Russia has denied any plans to attack its neighbor.
Macron called for de-escalation as he began talks with President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin. “Dialogue is necessary because that’s the only thing that will help, in my views, to build a context of a security and stability on the European continent,” Macron said, adding that he’s ready to “start building an effective response.”
Putin, in turn, praised France’s role in shaping European security, saying he appreciates Macron’s efforts to help ensure “an equal security in Europe” and broker a settlement to the Ukrainian crisis. “I realize that we share concern about what’s going on in Europe in the security sphere,” the Russian leader said as he faced Macron across a long table.
Speaking at the start of his meeting with Scholz, U.S. President Joe Biden said that the U.S. and Germany were “working in lockstep to further deter Russian aggression in Europe.”
Scholz added: “We are closest allies and we are working intensely together, and this is necessary for doing the steps that we have to do, for instance, fighting against Russian aggression against Ukraine.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov sought to temper expectations, saying “the situation is too complex to expect a decisive breakthrough after just one meeting,” and noting the West has ignored Moscow’s security demands.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the country has received more than 1,000 metric tons of weapons and military supplies from its allies, noting that a series of visits by Western officials has helped deter Russia. / Argumentum.al
