Macron tells Putin sincere dialogue incompatible with escalation

The two spoke for one hour 40 minutes, the French presidency said, amid a flurry of diplomacy aimed at dissuading Putin from marching into his western neighbour. US President Joe Biden is due to speak to the Russian leader later Saturday.

Macron and Putin “both expressed a desire to continue dialogue” on how to “advance the Minsk accords” on the restive Donbass region as well as “security conditions and stability in Europe”, the presidency added.

Weeks of tensions that have seen Russia surround Ukraine with more than 100,000 troops intensified when the Kremlin launched its biggest naval drills in years across the Black Sea.