Macron and Putin find some common ground during meeting in Moscow

The meeting in Moscow between Emmanuel Macron and Vladimir Putin, which lasted about five hours, ended with tentative progress towards de-escalation in Ukraine. Before the meeting, Macron expressed his confidence in "finding a useful and collective response for Russia and for the whole of Europe that will make it possible to avoid a war and forge stability and trust for all". By contrast, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier that the situation "is too difficult" to expect a breakthrough during a single meeting.

Nevertheless, after the meeting, Putin described the talks with his French counterpart as "useful and substantive". He said that some of the proposals put forward by Macron during the meeting were "realistic". Putin also thanked France for "always" being very active "in the process of working out solutions". "I know you have your own vision of the situation and I am pleased to have the opportunity to see you in person to discuss these things," Putin told Macron during the press conference. The two leaders had previously spoken on the phone on several occasions. 

Putin also acknowledged "the effort" being made by the French government and its president "to resolve the crisis related to the problems of ensuring equal security in Europe from a long-term perspective and to address issues related to the settlement of the crisis in southeastern Ukraine". "It should be noted that during these years France has been actively participating in resolving fundamental issues of European security," he added. Putin alluded to the crisis in Georgia, the Minsk agreements and the Normandy Quartet. 

For his part, Macron told reporters that he had presented Putin with "concrete security guarantees". These included a plan to revive the peace process in the Donbass, as well as a commitment by both sides not to take any new military action. "President Putin assured me of his willingness to commit himself in this regard and of his desire to maintain the stability and territorial integrity of Ukraine," said the French president. In this regard, Macron stressed the need to work with Moscow to build a future in Europe. "There is no security for Europeans if there is no security for Russia," he added. The French president also admitted that it was necessary to develop "new mechanisms to guarantee stability in Europe".

Despite the physical distance that separated Macron and Putin during their meeting in the Kremlin, respecting the coronavirus security measures, the two leaders were able to find some "points of convergence" on the crisis in Ukraine, as the French leader announced. With this small rapprochement, working together and presenting concrete measures, it is possible to "stabilise the situation and reduce tensions", Macron explained. "There is still time to preserve peace", he added. Putin also admitted that both Russia and France share "concerns about what is happening in the sphere of security in Europe".

The meeting between Macron and Putin came on the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on Special Relations between Paris and Moscow, a milestone that was emphasised by both leaders. "I believe that this dialogue is more relevant today than ever. This dialogue is necessary: it is the only way to guarantee security and stability in Europe," Macron stressed. 

The presidents have agreed to resume bilateral talks after the meeting between Macron and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodimir Zelensky.

Macron's visit to Moscow has underlined France's commitment to security and peace in Europe. Denis Denisov, Director of the Institute for Peacekeeping Initiatives and Conflictology, agrees. "The Donbass issue and the need to resolve the Ukrainian conflict remain one of the priorities of the French president's foreign policy," Denisov told Russia's TASS news agency. 

On the other hand, some believe that this move is a response to the upcoming French elections. "Macron is positioning himself as a strong president who seeks to increase France's influence on the international stage," Sergey Fedorov, an analyst at the Department of Social and Political Studies at the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences, tells TASS. "Europe's common affairs would be the field where Macron can demonstrate his country's power and influence. If he manages to show that he is a peacemaker to some extent, it would be a good start for his re-election campaign," he adds.

Two sources close to the president also revealed to Reuters that Macron's aim is to "freeze the situation and buy time for diplomacy until April", when the Gallic elections are held.

Although some common ground was reached during the talks, there was also room for reproaches and criticisms at the joint press conference. Putin again stressed that Russia's main security demands have been ignored by NATO. "We are not moving towards NATO, NATO is moving towards us," he remarked. In this regard, the Russian leader accused the Atlantic Alliance of designating Russia as an "enemy" and ironised about the idea that NATO is a purely defensive organisation. "The citizens of Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan and Yugoslavia have seen how peaceful NATO is," he said.

On the other hand, Macron warned that tension and the risk of destabilisation "are increasing". "Neither Russia nor the Europeans want chaos or instability," he said.

Putin was also asked about the presence of the Wagner Group in Africa, specifically in Mali. He said that Russia had nothing to do with the work of Russian security contractors in Mali. "Mali has the right to work with private Russian companies if it wants to," he said. On several occasions, the European Union and the United States have denounced the actions of the Wagner group's 'mercenaries', which they accuse of destabilising countries in Africa while reinforcing the Russian presence. For this reason, Brussels sanctioned the organisation last December. 

After his meeting with Putin, Macron will now head to Kiev, where he will hold talks with Zelensky. He will then travel to Berlin to discuss the results of the two meetings with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Polish President Andrzej Duda. Scholz will be the next European leader to travel to Moscow and Kiev with the same objective as Macron: to opt for diplomacy and dialogue to achieve de-escalation in Eastern Europe.