
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that he would continue to dialogue with Russia to help prevent the Ukraine conflict escalating, but pledged France's unwavering support for Kyiv in what he said would be a long war.
Macron has in the past been criticised by Ukraine and eastern European allies for what they perceived as his ambiguous backing for Kyiv since Russia's invasion of its neighbour, and his repeated dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin.