Macron on Ukraine crisis after talks with Putin

France is hoping to force a breakthrough in the East-West stalemate over Ukraine and kick start a de-escalation in tensions.  President Emmanuel Macron said "a number of propositions" had emerged from his talks with his Russian counterpart in Moscow on Monday. 

Macron said a "deterioration of the continent's stability" was in nobody's interest and stressed the "necessity to work fast to avoid escalation". Seven years ago, France helped create a peace deal for eastern Ukraine in a bid to end fighting there. Macron said efforts continued to fully implement the peace deal and find a lasting solution to the conflict.