French President Emanuel Macron has embarked on his shuttle diplomacy in an attempt to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine as a threat of war looms large in eastern Europe.

After holding a marathon talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Macron arrived in Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

With more than 100,000 Russian troops amassed near the Ukraine borders, there have been claims of the Russian invasion.

After meeting Putin, Macron claimed that he received assurances from Kremlin that they would reduce escalations against Ukraine—which Moscow has denied.

Even though conflicting views were aired, Dr Vera Michlin-Shapir, a visiting research fellow at King’s College London, claims that there might be something to gain out of the talks.

Michlin-Shapir had previously worked at Israel’s National Security Council and in the Prime Minister’s Office. She is an expert on Russia-Israel-Ukraine relations.

Excerpts:

WION: As French President Macron conducts shuttle diplomacy, we’re seeing somewhat conflicting messages coming from Russia and Ukraine. What’s the latest on this?

<a name="_Hlk95338149">Michlin-Shapir</a>: We are still in the midst of the process, obviously there will be conflicting messages, as each actor (state) wants to position. At the end of the day what matters is what comes out of Kremlin.

It seems that they have something to gain out of the talks being pivoted by President Macron.

WION: The Ukrainian FM has indicated that there is a deep cooperation between Israel and Ukraine, and that Ukraine is interested in helping with air defences from Israel. Now Israel, like many countries, has relations with Ukraine and Russia...but it’s also in a tricky situation because of the large Jewish communities in both countries…Do you think Israel will share, perhaps its Iron Dome technology, to help Ukraine defend itself from any missile attack?

Michlin-Shapir: In this kind of relationship (i.e. Israel-Ukraine and Israel-Russia) one of the things not being mentioned is the relationship Israel has with the US. And in many ways, it decides Israel's direction. Now, Israel also has Russia at its Northern flank with Syria, with whom it has a very strategic relationship.

Now, Russia has bilateral relations with Syria and is also eager to help Israel with its security.&nbsp;Israel has communities in Russia and also in Ukraine.&nbsp;

In sensitive issues like sharing its advanced weapons systems, Israel works in coordination with the US.&nbsp;

WION: Israeli Foreign Minister, Yair Lapid, has reportedly been speaking with both Ukraine and Russia. Last week he said that he does not believe there will soon be a violent conflict between the two countries. What’s your assessment?

Michlin-Shapir: In both Russia and Ukraine, you can see a diminished sense of conflict. The imminence of conflict is actually coming from the US.

Their intelligence community is assessing the conflict to be imminent, which is different from what we are hearing from Ukraine and Russia.

The US intelligence is apparently basing its assessment on what's happening at the border. And what is being observed at the borders is amassing of troops.

WION: Are there any meeting grounds between Russia and Ukraine, with Moscow underlining the Minsk agreement &amp; Ukraine consenting as well? Or there are sticking points within still?

Michlin-Shapir: One of the biggest sticking points is that both sides may have something to gain.

The cost to Russia is lesser as it's richer, bigger and stronger. For Ukraine, it would be devastating, similar to the one they underwent eight years ago, when Crimea was annexed in 2014.

Now, Macron is trying to create a common ground,&nbsp;since&nbsp;there is nothing to gain out of the conflict.&nbsp; And this is what makes it so difficult to reach an agreement

So, maybe a lack of political will at this point can be blamed.

French President Emanuel Macron has embarked on his shuttle diplomacy in an attempt to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine as a threat of war looms large in eastern Europe.

French President Emanuel Macron has embarked on his shuttle diplomacy in an attempt to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine as a threat of war looms large in eastern Europe. After holding a marathon talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Macron arrived in Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. With more than 100,000 Russian troops amassed near the Ukraine borders, there have been claims of the Russian invasion. After meeting Putin, Macron claimed that he received assurances from Kremlin that they would reduce escalations against Ukraine—which Moscow has denied. Even though conflicting views were aired, Dr Vera Michlin-Shapir, a visiting research fellow at King’s College London, claims that there might be something to gain out of the talks. Michlin-Shapir had previously worked at Israel’s National Security Council and in the Prime Minister’s Office. She is an expert on Russia-Israel-Ukraine relations. Excerpts: WION: As French President Macron conducts shuttle diplomacy, we’re seeing somewhat conflicting messages coming from Russia and Ukraine. What’s the latest on this? Michlin-Shapir: We are still in the midst of the process, obviously there will be conflicting messages, as each actor (state) wants to position. At the end of the day what matters is what comes out of Kremlin. It seems that they have something to gain out of the talks being pivoted by President Macron. WION: The Ukrainian FM has indicated that there is a deep cooperation between Israel and Ukraine, and that Ukraine is interested in helping with air defences from Israel. Now Israel, like many countries, has relations with Ukraine and Russia...but it’s also in a tricky situation because of the large Jewish communities in both countries…Do you think Israel will share, perhaps its Iron Dome technology, to help Ukraine defend itself from any missile attack? Michlin-Shapir: In this kind of relationship (i.e. Israel-Ukraine and Israel-Russia) one of the things not being mentioned is the relationship Israel has with the US. And in many ways, it decides Israel's direction. Now, Israel also has Russia at its Northern flank with Syria, with whom it has a very strategic relationship. Now, Russia has bilateral relations with Syria and is also eager to help Israel with its security. Israel has communities in Russia and also in Ukraine. In sensitive issues like sharing its advanced weapons systems, Israel works in coordination with the US. WION: Israeli Foreign Minister, Yair Lapid, has reportedly been speaking with both Ukraine and Russia. Last week he said that he does not believe there will soon be a violent conflict between the two countries. What’s your assessment? Michlin-Shapir: In both Russia and Ukraine, you can see a diminished sense of conflict. The imminence of conflict is actually coming from the US. Their intelligence community is assessing the conflict to be imminent, which is different from what we are hearing from Ukraine and Russia. The US intelligence is apparently basing its assessment on what's happening at the border. And what is being observed at the borders is amassing of troops. WION: Are there any meeting grounds between Russia and Ukraine, with Moscow underlining the Minsk agreement & Ukraine consenting as well? Or there are sticking points within still? Michlin-Shapir: One of the biggest sticking points is that both sides may have something to gain. The cost to Russia is lesser as it's richer, bigger and stronger. For Ukraine, it would be devastating, similar to the one they underwent eight years ago, when Crimea was annexed in 2014. Now, Macron is trying to create a common ground, since there is nothing to gain out of the conflict. And this is what makes it so difficult to reach an agreement So, maybe a lack of political will at this point can be blamed.

Something might be gained out of Macron’s meeting with Ukraine: Expert to WION

French President Emmanuel Macron met Russia&#39;s Vladimir Putin near Paris on Monday, promising some frank talking with the Kremlin leader after an election campaign in which his team accused Russian media of trying to interfere.

Macron, in a press conference, standing right beside Putin, blasted Russia Today and Sputnik for carrying election&nbsp;&quot;propaganda&quot; during the recently held presidential elections, AFP Reported.

Here is the footage of the press conference, though the French president spoke in French.

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Macron calls RT and Sputnik purveyors of propaganda and lies while standing adjacent to Putin. <a href="https://t.co/7cKW09I1lv">https://t.co/7cKW09I1lv</a>
&mdash; Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) <a href="https://twitter.com/nktpnd/status/869228285812760576">May 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Macron, who took office two weeks ago, has said dialogue with Russia is vital in tackling a number of international disputes. Nevertheless, relations have been beset by mistrust, with Paris and Moscow backing opposing sides in the Syrian civil war and at odds over the Ukraine conflict.

The French president also raised the issue of chemical weapons in Syria.

He said that the use of chemical weapons will be treated as a red line and any violation will attract strong response&nbsp;from them.

&quot;Any use of chemical weapons would results in reprisals and an immediate riposte, at least where France is concerned,&quot; Macron said at a joint news conference with Putin in which he added that his aim was the fight against terrorism in the country.

Fresh from talks with his Western counterparts at a NATO meeting in Brussels and a G7 summit in Sicily, Macron was hosting the Russian president at the sumptuous 17th Century palace of Versailles outside Paris.

The 39-year-old French leader and Putin exchanged a cordial, businesslike handshake and smiles when the latter stepped from his limousine for a red carpet welcome, with Macron appearing to say &quot;welcome&quot; to him in French.

The two men then entered the palace to start their talks.

&quot;It&#39;s indispensable to talk to Russia because there are a number of international subjects that will not be resolved without a tough dialogue with them,&quot; Macron told reporters at the end of the G7 summit on Saturday, where the Western leaders agreed to consider new measures against Moscow if the situation in Ukraine did not improve.

&quot;I will be demanding in my exchanges with Russia,&quot; he added.

Relations between Paris and Moscow were increasingly strained under former President Francois Hollande.

Putin, 64, cancelled his last planned visit in October after Hollande accused Russia of war crimes in Syria and refused to roll out the red carpet for him.

Then during the French election campaign the Macron camp alleged Russian hacking and disinformation efforts, at one point refusing accreditation to the Russian state-funded Sputnik and RT news outlets which it said were spreading Russian propaganda and fake news.

Two days before the May 7 election runoff, Macron&#39;s team said thousands of hacked campaign emails had been put online in a leak that one New York-based analyst said could have come from a group tied to Russian military intelligence.

Moscow and RT itself rejected allegations of meddling in the election.

Putin also offered Macron&#39;s far-right opponent Marine Le Pen a publicity coup when he granted her an audience a month before the election&#39;s first round.

Nonetheless, Russia&#39;s ambassador to Paris, Alexander Orlov said on Monday that he expected this first meeting between the two men to be full of &quot;smiles&quot; and marking the beginning of &quot;a very good and long relationship&quot;.

Orlov, speaking on Europe 1 radio, said he believed that Macron was &quot;much more flexible&quot; on the Syrian question, though he did not say why he thought this. Putin would certainly invite Macron to pay a visit to Moscow, he said.

Putin&#39;s schedule included a trip to a newly opened Russian Orthodox cathedral in Paris - a call he had been due to make for its inauguration in October, but which was cancelled along with that trip.

Clever Move

Macron decisively beat Le Pen, an open Putin admirer in a fraught presidential election campaign, and afterwards the Russian president said in a congratulatory message that he wanted to put mistrust aside and work with him.

Hollande&#39;s former diplomatic adviser, Jacques Audibert, noted how Putin had been excluded from what used to be the Group of Eight nations as relations with the West soured. Meeting in a palace so soon after the G7 summit was a clever move by Macron.

&quot;Putin likes these big symbolic things. I think it&#39;s an excellent political opportunity, the choice of place is perfect,&quot; he told CNews TV. &quot;It adds a bit of grandeur to welcome Putin to Versailles.&quot;

The Versailles exhibition commemorates a visit to France 300 years ago by Peter the Great, known for his European tastes.

A Russian official told reporters in Moscow on Friday that the meeting was an opportunity &quot;to get a better feel for each other&quot; and that the Kremlin expected &quot;a frank conversation&quot; on Syria.

While Moscow backs President Bashar al-Assad, France supports rebel groups trying to overthrow him. France has also taken a tough line on European Union sanctions on Russia, first imposed when it annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, and cancelled a $1.3 billion warship supply contract in 2015.

During the campaign, Macron backed expanded sanctions if there were no progress with Moscow implementing a peace accord for eastern Ukraine, where Kiev&#39;s forces have been battling pro-Russian separatists.

Since being elected, Macron appears to have toned down the rhetoric, although he noted the two leaders still had &quot;diverging positions&quot; in their first phone call.

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

Macron was hosting Putin at the palace of Versailles to reset relations with Russia, already beset by mistrust

French President Emmanuel Macron met Russia's Vladimir Putin near Paris on Monday, promising some frank talking with the Kremlin leader after an election campaign in which his team accused Russian media of trying to interfere. Macron, in a press conference, standing right beside Putin, blasted Russia Today and Sputnik for carrying election "propaganda" during the recently held presidential elections, AFP Reported. Here is the footage of the press conference, though the French president spoke in French. Macron calls RT and Sputnik purveyors of propaganda and lies while standing adjacent to Putin. https://t.co/7cKW09I1lv — Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) May 29, 2017 × Macron, who took office two weeks ago, has said dialogue with Russia is vital in tackling a number of international disputes. Nevertheless, relations have been beset by mistrust, with Paris and Moscow backing opposing sides in the Syrian civil war and at odds over the Ukraine conflict. The French president also raised the issue of chemical weapons in Syria. He said that the use of chemical weapons will be treated as a red line and any violation will attract strong response from them. "Any use of chemical weapons would results in reprisals and an immediate riposte, at least where France is concerned," Macron said at a joint news conference with Putin in which he added that his aim was the fight against terrorism in the country. Fresh from talks with his Western counterparts at a NATO meeting in Brussels and a G7 summit in Sicily, Macron was hosting the Russian president at the sumptuous 17th Century palace of Versailles outside Paris. The 39-year-old French leader and Putin exchanged a cordial, businesslike handshake and smiles when the latter stepped from his limousine for a red carpet welcome, with Macron appearing to say "welcome" to him in French. The two men then entered the palace to start their talks. "It's indispensable to talk to Russia because there are a number of international subjects that will not be resolved without a tough dialogue with them," Macron told reporters at the end of the G7 summit on Saturday, where the Western leaders agreed to consider new measures against Moscow if the situation in Ukraine did not improve. "I will be demanding in my exchanges with Russia," he added. Relations between Paris and Moscow were increasingly strained under former President Francois Hollande. Putin, 64, cancelled his last planned visit in October after Hollande accused Russia of war crimes in Syria and refused to roll out the red carpet for him. Then during the French election campaign the Macron camp alleged Russian hacking and disinformation efforts, at one point refusing accreditation to the Russian state-funded Sputnik and RT news outlets which it said were spreading Russian propaganda and fake news. Two days before the May 7 election runoff, Macron's team said thousands of hacked campaign emails had been put online in a leak that one New York-based analyst said could have come from a group tied to Russian military intelligence. Moscow and RT itself rejected allegations of meddling in the election. Putin also offered Macron's far-right opponent Marine Le Pen a publicity coup when he granted her an audience a month before the election's first round. Nonetheless, Russia's ambassador to Paris, Alexander Orlov said on Monday that he expected this first meeting between the two men to be full of "smiles" and marking the beginning of "a very good and long relationship". Orlov, speaking on Europe 1 radio, said he believed that Macron was "much more flexible" on the Syrian question, though he did not say why he thought this. Putin would certainly invite Macron to pay a visit to Moscow, he said. Putin's schedule included a trip to a newly opened Russian Orthodox cathedral in Paris - a call he had been due to make for its inauguration in October, but which was cancelled along with that trip. Clever Move Macron decisively beat Le Pen, an open Putin admirer in a fraught presidential election campaign, and afterwards the Russian president said in a congratulatory message that he wanted to put mistrust aside and work with him. Hollande's former diplomatic adviser, Jacques Audibert, noted how Putin had been excluded from what used to be the Group of Eight nations as relations with the West soured. Meeting in a palace so soon after the G7 summit was a clever move by Macron. "Putin likes these big symbolic things. I think it's an excellent political opportunity, the choice of place is perfect," he told CNews TV. "It adds a bit of grandeur to welcome Putin to Versailles." The Versailles exhibition commemorates a visit to France 300 years ago by Peter the Great, known for his European tastes. A Russian official told reporters in Moscow on Friday that the meeting was an opportunity "to get a better feel for each other" and that the Kremlin expected "a frank conversation" on Syria. While Moscow backs President Bashar al-Assad, France supports rebel groups trying to overthrow him. France has also taken a tough line on European Union sanctions on Russia, first imposed when it annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, and cancelled a $1.3 billion warship supply contract in 2015. During the campaign, Macron backed expanded sanctions if there were no progress with Moscow implementing a peace accord for eastern Ukraine, where Kiev's forces have been battling pro-Russian separatists. Since being elected, Macron appears to have toned down the rhetoric, although he noted the two leaders still had "diverging positions" in their first phone call. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

France's Macron calls Russia Today, Sputnik 'propaganda' while standing beside Putin

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Something might be gained out of Macron’s meeting with Ukraine: Expert to WION

France's Macron calls Russia Today, Sputnik 'propaganda' while standing beside Putin