Macron Will Meet With Putin In An Attempt To Ease Tensions In Ukraine

Emmanuel Macron, the French president, is flying to Moscow in the hopes of securing assurances from Russian President Vladimir Putin to reduce tensions over Ukraine.

Prior to his trip on Monday, Macron stated that he expects to "address the terms of a de-escalation" with Putin.

Following his visit to Moscow, Macron will travel to Kyiv, Ukraine's capital, on Tuesday for discussions with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Russia has amassed a force of 100,000 troops near its Ukrainian border, demanding security guarantees from the US and NATO, including the rejection of Ukraine as a member and a halt to any eastward expansion.

It denies, however, that an invasion of Ukraine is in the works.

The US and NATO have labeled Russia's demands as non-starters, and Washington has sent thousands more troops to Eastern Europe. Putin might authorize an attack on Ukraine within days or weeks, according to White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.

However, Macron – who spoke with Joe Biden prior of his trip to Moscow as part of a "coordination logic" – has minimized the likelihood of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, claiming that his talks with Putin will likely prevent a military clash.

"Clearly, Russia's strategic goal today is to clarify the norms of cohabitation with NATO and the European Union," he told France's Le Journal de Dimanche.

"The intensity of our engagement with Russia, as well as this visit to Moscow, are likely to avert [a military action]." Then we'll talk about de-escalation terms," he said.