Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Macron says Ukraine crisis may take months to resolve after meeting with Putin

In the wake of his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron has admitted it may take months to resolve the Ukraine crisis.

Per The Economic Times, Macron explained that the discussions he had with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a 24-hour period had been promising in terms of helping to stabilize the region. Macron also confirmed that Putin had made assurances that he would not be responsible for any escalation in tensions.

Macron is the first leader in the West to meet with Putin since Russia assembled its troops on the Ukrainian border. Unlike leaders from the United Kingdom and the United States, Macron believes that Russia is unlikely to invade its neighbor. Although he insists that he never believed Putin would make concessions, Macron believes Russia is amicable and open to a settlement to avoid war.

Macron was informed by Putin and Zelensky that they were both fiercely committed to the principles of the 2014 peace agreement known as the Minsk Accords. It is this agreement that Macron believes holds the key to resolving the ongoing crisis.

Per Reuters, Macron explained in a joint news conference with Zelensky, “This shared determination is the only way allowing us to create peace, the only way to create a viable political solution. Calm is essential from all parties in words and deeds.”

Macron complimented Zelensky for the patience and tolerance he and the Ukrainian people have demonstrated as Russia amasses more than 100,000 troops, tanks, and heavy weapons on Ukraine’s border.

For his part, Zelensky stated that he was skeptical of any assurances Putin may give Macron. He said, “I do not really trust words, I believe that every politician can be transparent by taking concrete steps.”

Following his meeting with Putin, Macron flew to Berlin for talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. In a statement given to reporters, Scholz explained, “Our common goal is to prevent a war in Europe. Our appraisal of the situation is united, as is our position on this: any further attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine is unacceptable and will draw wide-reaching consequences for Russia – politically, economically, and geo-strategically.”

When questioned in an interview with CNN about the likelihood of a Russian invasion, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said, “There’s no certainty, but what we see is a continued military buildup with more and more forces. The warning time is going down and the risk of an attack is going up.”