Macron fully coordinates with EU over messages delivered to Putin: EU Spokesman

Messages delivered by French President Macron to Russian President Vladimir Putin in a series of calls were fully coordinated with member states of the European Union, given the tense situation around Ukraine, Peter Stano, the lead spokesman for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union, said on Friday.

"French President Macron had a number of calls with President Putin by now and all the calls are taking place on the context of what the EU is doing in terms of engaging both with Russian and other partners with the ultimate aim to bring Russia to de-escalation of the current situation around Ukraine. Of course, the message is coordinated. President Macron delivers European messages as they have agreed among European Allies," Stano said at a midday briefing of the European Commission.

In the past few months, the West and Kiev have accused Moscow of massing troops near the Ukrainian border in alleged preparation for invasion. Russia said that it has no intention of invading Ukraine, while stressing that it has the right to move its forces within its own territory.

Russia has also expressed concerns over NATO's military activity near its borders and the ongoing military support of Ukraine, including an increase in the number of Western instructors in the breakaway Donbas region. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow does not exclude that the "hysteria" around Ukraine fueled by the West is aimed at concealing Kiev's plans to sabotage the Minsk Agreements on Donbas. (ANI/Sputnik)

( With inputs from ANI )