US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed “diplomatic and dissuasive efforts” this Sunday with Moscow in the face of the concentration of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine and the growing fears of a Russian invasion.
The conversation takes place a day before Macron travels to Moscow to meet with the Russian ruler, Vladimir Putin.
“The leaders discussed diplomatic and deterrence efforts underway in response to the continued Russian military build-up on the border with Ukraine,” the White House said in a brief statement.
This 40-minute telephone exchange is part of a “logic of coordination”, before Macron travels to Moscow and then, on Tuesday, to Kiev, where he is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski, the Elysee reported for his part.
Biden and Macron also reaffirmed their “support for the sovereignty and integrity of Ukraine.”
Finally, the two leaders stressed that “they will remain in contact and continue their consultations with allies and partners, including Ukraine.”
“We will not get unilateral gestures” from Russia “but it is essential to avoid a deterioration of the situation before building reciprocal mechanisms and gestures of trust,” Macron told the French weekly Journal du Dimanche.
