Macron to visit Russia and Ukraine in mediation effort

French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to Moscow and Kiev next week as part of his effort to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from launching an invasion of Ukraine and find a diplomatic way out of rising tensions.

The visit on Monday and Tuesday comes after the United States accused the Kremlin on Thursday of an elaborate plot to fabricate an attack by Ukrainian forces that Russia could use as a pretext for military action. The United States has not provided detailed information to support the claims.

While France is a major player in NATO and is moving troops to Romania as part of the alliance's preparations for possible Russian action, Macron has also been active, pushing for a dialogue with Putin and has spoken with him several times in recent weeks. The two will hold a face-to-face meeting on Monday, Macron's office said Friday.

Macron is following a French tradition of finding a separate path from that of the United States in geopolitics, as well as trying to make his mark on this crisis and protect Europe's interests.

But after weeks of talks in various diplomatic formats have failed to lead to major concessions from Russia and the US, it is unclear how much impact his trip will have.

In a call Wednesday with U.S. President Joe Biden, Macron backed him in his diplomatic efforts. In talks with Russian and Ukrainian leaders Thursday night, Macron’s office said they discussed ways to “identify elements that could lead to de-escalation” and “conditions for strategic balance in Europe, which should allow for the reduction of risks on the ground and guarantee security on the continent.”

Russia has massed more than 100,000 troops near Ukraine's northern and eastern borders, raising concerns that Moscow could invade again, as it did in 2014. The presence and insecurity of the troops have unnerved Ukrainians and hurt the country's economy. Russian officials deny that an invasion is planned.

Source: Associated Press