Over the weekend we discussed French President Emmanuel Macron’s upcoming diplomatic marathon, with trips to Moscow and Kyiv where he hoped to find some sort of compromise that could lead to de-escalation on the Ukrainian border. Yesterday he sat down for a long meeting with Vladimir Putin and today he’ll be going to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. At the same time, the White House is still blaring warnings that the Russian invasion could be starting any day now. So did Macron make any progress with Putin? Depending on how you view the comments from both of them, they may have identified a few areas of common ground, but the issue isn’t simply going to evaporate overnight. And Macron really doesn’t have any authority to commit the rest of NATO or the EU to any sort of deal by himself. But let’s at least give him credit for trying. (CNN)

Though the shape of a solution to the showdown is still unclear, and the Kremlin continues to push for security guarantees that the US and NATO have called non-starters, Macron said that he and Putin were beginning to build a “constructive arrangement,” which was “mutually acceptable” to Russia and the rest of Europe to “help us avoid war.”

“This dialogue is absolutely essential, more than ever, to ensure the stability and security of the European continent,” Macron said in remarks aired on Russian state television at a meeting soon after he arrived at the Kremlin.

Putin said the two countries shared “common concern” about the security situation in Europe. “I see how much effort the current leadership of France and personally the president of France are making to resolve the crisis associated with ensuring equal security in Europe,” he added

Putin came out later and told state media in Russia that some of Macron’s ideas could “form a basis for further joint steps.” He was also full of praise for Macron’s efforts to keep a productive dialogue going. (Yahoo)

Russian President Vladimir Putin described Monday’s talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in the Kremlin as useful, substantive and business-like, and said that some of Macron’s ideas could form a basis for further joint steps…

“A number of his ideas, proposals, which are probably still too early to talk about, I think it is quite possible to make the basis of our further joint steps,” he said.

While some rumors are starting to emerge, the meeting was held in private and we don’t really know what specifics were brought up. Putin is saying that the proposals are “still too early to talk about,” and Macron told reporters nothing of substance. The two agreed to talk again after Macron finishes up in Ukraine.

While Macron has placed several calls to Joe Biden in the past week, his suggestions as to how to calm things down are very different from the rhetoric coming from the White House. While Biden and some other NATO leaders have repeatedly called Russia’s demands for “security considerations” (in the form of a promise to never allow Ukraine or Georgia to join NATO) “non-starters,” Macron continues to say that Russia’s security concerns are valid and deserve consideration. Putin obviously must enjoy hearing that, but unless Macron can bring everyone else along, it won’t add up to much.

Some analysts are already noting how Macron continues to stress the need for the EU to take more responsibility for its own security and military defensive capabilities. This is an idea that Donald Trump pushed heavily while he was in office. It’s possible that one part of Putin’s strategy includes trying to drive more of a wedge between the United States and Europe. If that’s the case, it’s beginning to look as if he’s making some progress along those lines. But unfortunately, that doesn’t get us any close to a true de-escalation of tensions on the Ukraine border or any significant drawdown of Russian troops in the border region.