FT said that Russia has “moved towards de-escalation” after the talks between Macron and Putin
Emmanuel Macron and Vladimir Putin. Photo: Kremlin Pool/ Globallookpress.com
The Financial Times newspaper, citing French sources, assessed the talks between the presidents of Russia and France as a step towards resolving tensions around Ukraine. The publication notes that Moscow has “moved towards de-escalation” after the leaders’ meeting in the Kremlin.
“According to officials in France, an agreement was reached not to undertake new military initiatives and to conduct a broad dialogue on the deployment of Russian troops,” the article says.
FT writes that the agreement allegedly includes the withdrawal of the Russian military from Belarus, where joint exercises are held within the framework of the Union State.
It is noted that the talks will be a step towards a “structured dialogue on collective security.” At the same time, the publication confirms that Putin and Macron did not mention these discussions during a joint press conference.
The talks of politicians in the Kremlin began on February 7, Monday, and lasted a little more than five hours. Putin said that the meeting with Macron was held in a businesslike manner, it was informative and useful.
The Russian leader said the West had ignored Moscow’s central concerns about security guarantees. He also noted that he had discussed with his French counterpart the issues of non-expansion of NATO and the situation around Ukraine.
