Paris-Sana
French President Emmanuel Macron stressed the need to continue efforts to reduce tension in Europe through dialogue.
The Elysee Palace stated that Macron pointed out, during a phone call today with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the importance of adhering to the basic principles of European security and state sovereignty.
For his part, Stoltenberg saw that NATO unity at this critical moment is of vital importance.
Gabriel Atal, a spokesman for the French government, had previously announced that President Macron would visit Moscow on February 7, and then Kiev on February 8, as part of Paris' efforts to stop the escalation over Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart discussed this issue during three phone calls on January 28 and 31 and February 3.
Russia asserts that Western allegations of mobilizing its forces to intervene in Ukraine are aimed at ignoring Moscow's demands to provide legally binding guarantees to prevent NATO expansion, in addition to encouraging the Kiev authorities to undermine the Minsk agreements aimed at settling the conflict in the Donbass region.