JAKARTA - French President Emmanuel Macron flew to Moscow on Monday in a risky diplomatic move, seeking commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putin to ease tensions with Ukraine, where Western leaders fear the Kremlin is plotting an invasion.
President Macron has made a series of phone calls with Western ally President Putin and the Ukrainian leader over the past week. He will follow up on Tuesday with a visit to Kyiv, risking a lot of political capital on a mission that could prove embarrassing if he returns empty-handed.
"We're heading to where President Putin is, in many ways it's a dice roll," a source close to Macron told Reuters.
Russia has amassed about 100,000 troops near Ukraine and demands NATO and US security guarantees, including that NATO never recognizes Ukraine as a member.
Two sources close to President Macron said one of the goals of his visit was to buy time, freeze the situation for several months, at least until the 'Super April' elections in Europe - in Hungary, Slovenia and, most importantly for President Macron, in France.
President Macron has been trying to persuade and confront Putin for the past five years. His efforts have led to close dialogue with the Russian leader as well as painful setbacks.
The French president's visits to Moscow and Ukraine come less than three months before the domestic presidential election. His political advisers see potential election gains, although Macron has not announced whether he will run.
"For the president, this is an opportunity to show his leadership in Europe. That he is above the fray," said a French government source.
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