Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Vladimir Putin meets with Emmanuel Macron in the Kremlin. PA Images

Vladimir Putin says it's 'possible' to move forward on some of Macron's proposals

But the Kremlin also warned that the situation is too complex for a breakthrough after “just one meeting”.

LAST UPDATE | 7 Feb 2022

RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR Putin said several proposals put forward by his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron at talks today could form a basis for moving forward on the crisis over Ukraine.

“A number of his ideas, proposals… are possible as a basis for further steps,” Putin said after more than five hours of talks with Macron.

“President Putin assured me of his readiness to engage [on concrete security guarantees] and his desire to maintain stability and the territorial integrity of Ukraine,” Macron said in turn.

International efforts to defuse the stand-off over Ukraine have intensified, with Macron travelling to Moscow for talks and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Washington to co-ordinate policies as fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine mounted.

With tens of thousands of Russian troops massed on the Ukrainian border, fears are mounting that a major conflict could break out in Europe.

An intense round of diplomacy is ongoing in a bid to stop the situation from spiralling out of control.

french-president-emmanuel-macron-arrives-at-the-grand-kremlin-palace-to-meet-russian-president-v-putin-on-the-russian-western-crisis-over-ukraine-in-moscow-russia-on-february-7-2022-photo-by-dom French President Emmanuel Macron arrives at the Grand Kremlin Palace. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Macron called for a de-escalation as he sat down with Putin in the Kremlin.

“Dialogue is necessary because that’s the only thing that will help, in my view, to build a context of a security and stability on the European continent,” Macron said, calling the discussion a possible first step towards de-escalation.

“I’m happy to have this opportunity to have a deep discussion on all these issues… and to start building an effective response,” he added.

Putin, in turn, hailed France’s role in shaping European security and noted that their talks came on a day when the countries signed a friendship treaty 30 years ago.

“I realise that we share concern about what’s going on in Europe in the security sphere,” Putin told Macron, adding that he appreciates his efforts to help ensure “an equal security in Europe” and broker a settlement to the Ukrainian crisis.

Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, described the visit as “very important” – but sought to temper expectations, saying “the situation is too complex to expect a decisive breakthrough after just one meeting”.

Before the meeting, Macron had said: “I don’t believe in spontaneous miracles.”

Defences bolstered

german-troops-return-to-wunstorf-air-base-following-evacuation-missions-in-kabul-wunstorf-germany-august-27-2021-reutersfabian-bimmer German troops returning from evacuation missions in Kabul, August 2021 Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Earlier today, Germany said it would send up to 350 more soldiers to Lithuania to help bolster the NATO alliance’s eastern flank.

“We are therefore strengthening our troop contribution on NATO’s eastern flank and sending a clear sign of our resolve to our allies,” the country’s Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht said today.

The soldiers will be deployed “within a few days” and the message to allies is “you can rely on us,” the minister said.

Germany currently has 500 soldiers stationed as part of NATO forces in Lithuania.

Lithuanian Defence Minister Arvydas Anusauskas called the additional troops “an important signal of attention to our region”.

“If Putin thought he will divide the alliance by raising ultimatums, this decision shows us that NATO remains an organisation which is based on solidarity,” he said.

“This is a very adequate reaction to Russia’s behaviour near the borders of Ukraine and in Belarus. We have not seen such a concentration of troops in the entire post-Soviet period.”

Lithuania’s military said today it has raised its readiness status ahead of upcoming military exercises in Belarus involving Russian troops.

Lithuania’s Chief of Defence Valdemaras Rupsys told AFP this was being done “so that we can respond to the changing situation or a possible threat to us and be in the right place with the required capabilities”.

Lithuanian officials have warned that thousands of Russian troops being sent into Belarus for military exercises may stay on after the drills.

The Baltic nation borders both Russia and Belarus.

The boosted German force would make Lithuania Germany’s second biggest deployment after Mali.

Berlin had come under fire over its refusal to send weapons to Ukraine despite repeated requests from Kyiv – its offer instead to dispatch 5,000 helmets was widely ridiculed recently.

Contains reporting from © AFP 2022 and the Press Association.

Author
View 26 comments
Close
26 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Connachtabu
    Favourite Connachtabu
    Report
    Feb 27th 2016, 8:35 AM

    Guess Enda will be preparing his resignation speech.

    57
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute TheBull
    Favourite TheBull
    Report
    Feb 27th 2016, 9:25 AM

    Nice news to wake up to. :-D

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Sands
    Favourite Michael Sands
    Report
    Feb 27th 2016, 12:51 PM

    Merkel will have a job for him lined up already like Hogan…

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alfie Bonney
    Favourite Alfie Bonney
    Report
    Feb 27th 2016, 7:18 AM

    If only we had some kind of electronic voting system that be good.. Oh wait

    52
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Get Lost Eircodes
    Favourite Get Lost Eircodes
    Report
    Feb 27th 2016, 10:28 AM

    There’s an #Eircode for that!.. Oh wait

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Martin Sinnott
    Favourite Martin Sinnott
    Report
    Feb 27th 2016, 7:10 AM

    Get ready for a November election

    52
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute IrishGravyTrain
    Favourite IrishGravyTrain
    Report
    Feb 27th 2016, 7:19 AM

    Canvassing will be starting again on monday.

    32
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Daniel Murray
    Favourite Daniel Murray
    Report
    Feb 27th 2016, 9:19 AM

    Why is it people with strong political attachments are allowed to be part of the count? What’s the criteria for selection?

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dermot Lane
    Favourite Dermot Lane
    Report
    Feb 27th 2016, 1:12 PM

    What do you mean part of the count? The counting is done by public servants as far as I know. Each candidate is allowed a certain number of observers, which is only right, but they observe the counting, they don’t do it.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Smiley
    Favourite Smiley
    Report
    Feb 27th 2016, 7:22 AM

    What happens now? We all give thanks that the bloody politicking is over for now.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Celtic_Horizon
    Favourite Celtic_Horizon
    Report
    Feb 27th 2016, 7:35 AM

    No think we have to endure it at least one more time with another general election

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute gerry meagher
    Favourite gerry meagher
    Report
    Feb 27th 2016, 2:01 PM

    How do people get selected for these election jobs. In my village there were at least six people working when it seemed to me that two would have been suffice .I didn’t know any of them

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Sands
    Favourite Michael Sands
    Report
    Feb 27th 2016, 12:50 PM

    In that photo the one in the green top still has a polling station pencil in her hand lol.

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds