After meeting with Putin, Macron says the 'risk of destabilization is increasing'


French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Moscow on Monday, but after five hours of negotiations, there was no breakthrough on the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
"Right now the tension is increasing and the risk of destabilization is increasing," Macron said. "Neither Russia, nor the Europeans, want chaos or instability, when nations have already suffered from the [COVID-19] epidemic. So we need to agree on concrete measures." Macron added that he doesn't "believe in spontaneous miracles. There is lots of tensions, nervousness."
It's estimated that Russia has about 140,000 troops along the border with Ukraine and in Belarus, and on Monday, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Putin has "added to his force capability" in those areas. U.S. officials believe that Russia has in place more than 70 percent of the soldiers needed to launch an invasion of Ukraine, and some analysts believe Putin is only entertaining Western leaders in order to buy more time to prepare, The Guardian reports.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Putin has made several security demands of NATO and the United States, including that Ukraine never be admitted into NATO. Macron said on Monday that NATO's open door policy is essential for Europe; Putin replied that it is only good for the United States.
While he didn't go into detail about what was privately talked about, Putin did say it is possible for Russia to consider "a number" of Macron's "proposals and ideas ... in order to lay a foundation for our further steps." Macron will head to Kyiv on Tuesday to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and he said he'll call Putin afterwards to brief him on their discussion.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Can Gaza momentum help end the war in Ukraine?
Today's Big Question Zelenskyy’s request for long-range Tomahawk missiles hints at ‘warming relations’ between Ukraine and US
-
Remaking the military: Pete Hegseth’s war on diversity and ‘fat generals’
Talking Point The US Secretary of War addressed military members on ‘warrior ethos’
-
Israel, Hamas agree to first step of Trump peace plan
Speed Read Israel’s military pulls back in Gaza amid prisoner exchange
-
Israel intercepts 2nd Gaza aid flotilla in a week
Speed Read The Israeli military intercepted a flotilla of nine boats with 145 activists aboard along with medical and food aid
-
Japan poised to get first woman prime minister
Speed Read The ruling Liberal Democratic Party elected former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi
-
Israel and Hamas meet on hostages, Trump’s plan
Speed Read Hamas accepted the general terms of Trump’s 20-point plan, including the release of all remaining hostages
-
US tipped to help Kyiv strike Russian energy sites
Speed Read Trump has approved providing Ukraine with intelligence for missile strikes on Russian energy infrastructure
-
Netanyahu agrees to Trump’s new Gaza peace plan
Speed Read At President Trump's meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, they agreed upon a plan to end Israel’s war in Gaza