The Kremlin is denying reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed to conduct no new military maneuvers near Ukraine, calling the accounts “not right.”
An unidentified French official told reporters after Putin’s Monday meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron that Moscow had promised not to conduct additional military maneuvers near Ukraine for the time being, according to Reuters.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, however, said on Tuesday that such reports are “not right,” the news service reported.
Peskov also denied the French official’s claim that Putin had promised to pull Russian troops from Belarus once exercises conclude in the country, which is expected to happen later this month, according to Reuters. The Kremlin spokesperson said Putin did not offer assurances about when Russian troops would depart Belarus.
Macron met with Putin in Russia on Monday in an effort to deescalate tensions. Moscow has amassed more than 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border, stoking fears among the U.S. and other allies that Russia is planning a military incursion against Ukraine.
Moscow, however, has denied having such plans.
The two leaders did not announce any breakthroughs after Monday’s dialogue, which, according to Reuters, lasted more than five hours.
Putin did, however, said some proposals from the meeting had a “basis for further steps” of possible compromise.
“A number of his ideas, proposals … are possible as a basis for further steps,” Putin said, according to France 24. “We will do everything to find compromises that suit everyone.”
