Macron: Putin told him Russia won’t escalate Ukraine crisis

By SYLVIE CORBET and DASHA LITVINOVA
Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron says Russian President Vladimir Putin told him that Moscow would not further escalate the Ukraine crisis. Macron also said it would take time to find a diplomatic solution to the rising tensions. His remarks on a visit to Kyiv came after the Kremlin denied reports that he and Putin struck a deal during marathon talks Monday on de-escalating the crisis. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that “in the current situation, Moscow and Paris can’t be reaching any deals.” Macron met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy amid mounting fears of a Russian invasion. Moscow has massed over 100,000 troops near Ukraine’s borders, but insists it has no plans to attack.