France says Putin promised no 'new military initiatives' near Ukraine in talks with Macron
ABC News
France says Putin promised no 'new military initiatives' near Ukraine in talks with Macron
KYIV -- French officials said Russian President Vladimir Putin has committed to not launching any new “military initiatives” near Ukraine, a sign they said suggests Putin is moving towards de-escalating the crisis around the country.
French President Emmanuel Macron’s office said Putin made the commitment during more than five hours of talks between the two leaders on Monday night in Moscow. The French officials said Putin had also promised that thousands of Russian troops massed in neighboring Belarus to the north of Ukraine would leave after exercises end there this month.
It “makes it possible to consider de-escalation,” the officials said in a briefing note sent to journalists.
If true, the promise could be an important sign Putin may be closer to taking Western diplomatic offers as a road out of the crisis, where the massing of tens of thousands of Russian troops near Ukraine has sparked fears of invasion.
