Russian President Vladimir Putin said his talks with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron were substantive, useful, and business-like, and that some of the suggestions could work as a basis for moving forward over the Ukraine crisis.

At the opening of talks in the Kremlin on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron, the highest-ranking Western leader to visit Moscow since Russia began massing troops on Ukraine’s border, told Vladimir Putin that he wanted to avert conflict and build confidence. “President Putin assured me of his readiness to engage. There is no security for the Europeans if there is no security for Russia,” Macron said. 

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After the meeting, which lasted over five hours, the two leaders hoped to have moved in the direction of a possible solution for the crisis. Putin said that both the Presidents shared common concerns over the security situation in Europe. 

“A number of his ideas, proposals… are possible as a basis for further steps,” Putin said. “I would like to thank Mr. Macron for the efforts France is making to resolve the acute issue of our relations with NATO, to create an environment of stability on the European continent, to resolve the crisis in southeastern Ukraine,” he added, according to a report by news agency AFP.

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The Russian President, however, continued to deny Moscow’s role in advancing towards Ukraine or the western countries, and instead put the blame on Eastern European country for the continued conflict. “Kyiv still rejects every opportunity for a peaceful restoration of its territorial integrity,” he said, referring to Ukraine’s capital, according to the AFP report.

“It is not us who are moving towards NATO’s borders,” he said, while adding that if Ukraine were to join the western block, Moscow could get into conflict with European countries, including France. He added that there would be “no winners” in such a conflict.

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Macron, who is set to run for re-election in April, has positioned himself as a possible mediator on Ukraine, expressing doubts about predictions from Washington, London, and other Western capitals that a Russian assault is near.

Macron told Putin he was looking for a “constructive” reaction “that of course allows us to avoid war and to build bricks of trust, stability, visibility.” For his part, Putin stated that Russia and France shared “a common concern about what is happening in the security sphere in Europe.”

Also read: European leaders in Moscow, Washington discuss Ukraine crisis

“I see how much efforts the current leadership of France and the president personally is applying in order to solve the crisis related to providing equal security in Europe for a serious historical perspective,” Putin said.