Putin, Macron's second day of calls regarding Ukraine

• 

Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron had another phone conversation regarding the situation in Ukraine, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.

Macron and Putin held the first phone conversation during the day on Sunday and agreed to organize a meeting of a trilateral contact group on Ukraine.

According to the statement by the French Presidency, the call was "the final possible and necessary efforts to avoid a major conflict in Ukraine." It comes a day after Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky told Macron during the Munich Security Conference that he would not respond to what he called Russia's "provocations".

According to the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin reminded Emmanuel Macron that the current escalation in eastern Ukraine was caused by Kyiv's forces.

Two days ago, the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic (LPR) and Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) announced a general mobilization in the two republics, after repeated shelling from the Ukrainian side.

According to Peskov, the leaders stressed the need of continuing the discussion between the foreign ministries and political advisors.

Peskov added that "contact between Russia and France at the level of foreign ministers is also possible in the near future."

France expresses "diplomatic hope" to resolve the Ukraine crisis

France expressed hope to mediate the conflict between Russia and Ukraine over Moscow's alleged troop buildup after proposing a meeting between US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

France's Europe Minister Clement Beaune told LCI TV, "There is a diplomatic hope that was revived by the president."

Russia insists that it has no intention of attacking any country, seeing the Western accusations as a pretext to deploy more NATO military equipment close to Russia's borders.

Beaune said that "if there is still a chance to avoid war, to avoid a confrontation and build a political and diplomatic solution, then we need to take it."

Following contacts with both leaders on Sunday, the White House claimed Biden agreed to the meeting in principle so long as Moscow did not attack Ukraine.

According to the Elysee Palace, preparations are set to begin on Thursday by top Russian and US officials.

The Kremlin warned on Monday that organizing a US-Moscow summit was "premature" for the time being.

According to Beaune, the potential summit demonstrates a solution "could be possible," urging it be planned as soon as possible.